A Rose By Any Other Beauty
by LilyHellsing
Summary: An ugly girl named Rose is a servant who listens when others speak at Palace of Justice, finding out stuff. She takes a bet at a pub to find the CoM. When she gets caught, she realizes gypsies arent as bad as one may think. WAY better summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again everyone! I was re-reading my old stories and reading some new ones posted by some very talented writers (like Opaque Opal) and was inspired. I'd like to point out that some of the ideas or chapters will be thought of by Opaque so please read the A/N note at the beginning to see whose work your reading lol.**

**My idea: An ugly girl ironically named Rose is a servant for Frollo. She watches what goes on during the whole "movie" time; how he's obsessed with Gypsies and Esmeralda and such. We see her thoughts about it. No Phoebus in the story; it'll be following the outline of the movie, not the complete thing itself. So one night she's at a pub working another job for her drunken father and she overhears something about gypsies. Accepting a bet to go to the graveyard/Court of Miracles...she gets caught. It'll be a Clopin/OC fanfic.**

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Prologue_

"Rose, you best be careful. That Judge has a wicked temper at times and if you slip up once morally, he'll not only fire you but arrest you as well!" A longer working servant warned the new girl.

The girl she spoke to was seventeen and considered on the path of 'spinster hood'. While most girls her social class was off married by the age of fifteen, even sixteen, she was single and alone. That was why she worked two jobs; Servant at the Palace of Justice and a waiter at some pub.

It was quite ironic about the Palace of Justice; she thought when she had entered. Most people were falsely charged and put to death or inflicted pain upon. It rarely brought Justice to the public, like finding a diamond in your backyard. It was also ironic that this girl be named 'Rose' when the last thing she looked like was a flower.

Her hair was waist long, a dark red like fire. Although this would have been beautiful, the ends were split and it was constantly frizzy. In an attempt to control her wild hair, she pinned it up with several pins. Despite this making her looking like a walking Lightning rod, it kept her hair down and out of her face.

She was tall and gangly in a way. She stood proudly at five foot seven, something very rare for girls her age and social class. Her body held muscle from working since she was young, since her mother died at the age of twelve. And although she had muscle, she hadn't an ounce of fat on her. This was bittersweet for while she was not overweight, she didn't appear to be a good 'child bearer'. This also damaged her chance for marriage.

Her eyes, which should have been the most exotic feature of her since her mother had them as well, were plain and dull. They sparkled, oh yes, and shined with whatever she felt…but they were a common boring color; brown. No hint of green, no twinkle of blue. Just brown.

Her forehead was too big and too wide. Her skin was too dark sometimes. Her lips were a pale pink, boring once more. To make matters worse, her once full of life rosy cheeks were pale now.

All in all, the last thing one could describe her with was 'beauty'.

She was ugly; the end.

Despite her looks, her personality was…well, shocking. She had a feisty spirit when provoked but rarely seen. The attack of her mother had made her timid, scared to speak up. A church mouse was louder than her at times!

She read but could not write; she could quote some Philosophers by heart; she knew what piece of art was made by whom. She was intelligent in books and hardly considered smart in house work.

This ugly girl, however, would have to travel a surprising and interesting road soon enough. She would have to help gypsies, the very thing she was supposed to hate because of her mother. She would have to defy the most powerful man in Paris despite her respect for him.

All because of a stupid bet…

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Next chapter: We see her first day in life, morning, Frollo's palace…etc. We see what her typical day is like in other words. We see what her family is like and a hint of her past. Review please. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to Opaque Opal for being the first to review; feel special!**

**To theatreChick1794- Really?! Well…maybe I'm stalking you; GASP! XD Lol just joking…or am I? GASP! XD No, really, I am…or am I? James Bond theme plays Anyway on a more serious note, thanks for the review. The comment of the reading/writing as a servant thing will be answered in this chapter.**

**By the way: The original title for this story was going to be "A Rose By Any Other Beauty Is Just As Sweet" but it was too long. Notice how I changed out the word 'name' to 'beauty'. Lol, anyway!**

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Her hands were pruned from washing clothes for so long. They were a pale, almost white, wrinkled pair that would be, no doubt, dry and cracked later. And of course, Rose thought bitterly, they had no money to afford the lotion that would heal the hands. Despite her posture usually being good, she was bending over a tub to scrub the Judge's clothes vigorously.

In a way, Rose had a great amount of respect for the man. He was harsh like a storm and cold like snow, yes, but he got rid of the gypsies. Filthy urchins that lived on the street! But Judge Frollo was also a religious man, one who set an example for the good citizens of Paris while exterminating the filth.

At long last, she was done! Her back ached something terrible when she stood and started to hang the wet clothes. It was seven in the morning, she could tell since their neighbors rooster screeched. She had worked for two hours, two hours already and her day wasn't even half over!

Rubbing her back, she fixed her outfit. It was her morning work outfit, basically a brown dress full of holes. Soon she'd have to dress up, go to market and then come back, change into her servant outfit and go to Frollo's Palace. Then, she'd come home to check on her father and change once more into her evening outfit to work at the Pig Pub.

For now, however, if only for a moment she craved relaxation. Grabbing an old book off the shelf, she sat in her mothers' old stuffed chair. When she had turned six years old, her mother taught her to read. And Rose longed to write, oh how she did! Her mother had been taught by her mother who was taught by her mother's mother to read only. So while she only knew how to read as a passed on treasure, she couldn't write. Still, she was grateful. Books were one of the very few ways she could escape her life.

There was a loud crash down the small hallway. Sighing softly, she placed the book of old fairy tales and wives tales back. Stepping out of the room, seeing the growing-dent in the wall, she scanned the area for her father. It was a normal day so far for her.

"What are you still doing here girl?!" A booming voice came out of nowhere just a few feet from her. "You should be at work, getting paid with money!" A bottle of rum touched his lips, half the liquid falling on his clothes. It was as though he realized where he was, who he was. "Where's my food?!"

Calmness tainted the edge of her tone as she spoke, giving the impression to a stranger watching that this was a morning routine. "Father, I'm leaving to work after I get dressed in a moment. And I told you, as soon as I'm finished dressing, I'll make you breakfast."

The man nodded, walking into the living room and stumbled twice. However, he never let go of the bottle. Rose sighed softly, whispering to herself as she walked to her room a few yards away, "Already drinking and it's not even breakfast…"

Her outfit for the market and the Pig Pub was simple and the only thing she could afford; it reached a little above her ankles and was a dark red, two shades darker than her frizzy hair. The corset built in it had laces of brown, like her eyes. It would have looked beautiful on a beautiful girl…but a beauty she was not.

Grabbing her mother's old brush, she brushed the knot-hair. Sadly it didn't want to stay down. Sighing, she put it in a bun and walked to the kitchen. In just a few minutes, she managed to cut up what was left of the bread, spread what little of butter there was, and gave it to her father.

"I'm off to the market to get more food, father." She said while placing a scarf over her head, showing only her sullen face. "I'll be back before noon."

"Get more ale!"

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On her forearm rested a basket she weaved when mother died. A sigh escaped her lips while passing several carts. Life before was so much easier; their social class was high and their friends were rich. The clothes they had made her look pretty, their food always a waterfall.  
Sadly…that all changed. Her 'friends' left her and her father, after the decease of his wife, drank all the time. He eventually gambled away their fortune, their clothes, his job and their home. Now they lived in a poor side of town in a small house; three rooms, one kitchen.

After buying a loaf of bread that should last all week, a few fruits, ale and several small things for the house, she smiled down at the basket. Seeing that she had a few coins left, she walked over to the bakery and, with her mouth watered, bought a pastry. It was sticky and sweet when she bit it, allowing the warmth of the filling to jolt her taste buds.

While she walked back home, she passed a group of small kids who were entranced by a gypsy story teller. Rose felt her blood boil; how could Paris allow such filth on the streets?!

Faintly, as she stepped into her house, she heard her mother's voice reprimand her on her lack of tolerance, on her hatred. Placing the basket on the table, she closed her eyes and whispered, "I can't help it Mother…they _killed_ you…I want to kill them."

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Next chapter: Frollo's Palace, her spying…Hmm…and I think we'll see what her night is like; memory dreams are coming! Review please. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to Opaque Opal & theaterchick1794 for the reviews. This will be the last update till London, I fear. And I want to dedicate this chapter to kamikaze-djali who PMed me and gave me an excellent idea! Thanks so much! We'll be starting off from when Rose goes to the market and have the baker watch her; the customers and him will gossip of her so we'll hear some true rumors and some not so true. Then, we'll see the maid watch her in Frollo's Palace.**

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The bread was hot from the oven, the flames from the fire radiating off a certain warmth that was comforting. That was one of the reasons why I got into the baking business; the fires that made the dough rise was like hope for me. It was calming and because it made dough become a loaf of bread, it was magical to me.

I've been the baker of the market for several years now. My wife and I were blessed with two children, both infants at the moment. I couldn't help but wonder, as I pulled out the bread, what would happen in the future. All I could hope for was that my daughter Mary wouldn't turn out as ugly as the Rose kid.

The bread's aroma made me smile and inhale deeper; it never got old. I could hear a customer near the window which was the only way the smell escaped. That was one way I managed to capture my customer's attentions- and their noses too!

I walked over there, wiping my hands off to ensure there was no flour and stopped. The smile on my face faltered but only for a moment, giving me time to replace it with a false one. There before my eyes was a girl whose hair looked like a cat after a bath, face sunken like a hole and a nose that could be used in a sword fight with Pinocchio.

"Hello there Baker." The girl spoke softly, her voice hinting tension. "I'd like one loaf of bread, please."

My footfalls showed my hesitation and probably my annoyance. I started to reach for the freshly baked one but stopped. Instead, as if on its own accord, my hand went to a slightly colder one. I wrapped it up in a sheet and gave it to her. "That'll be five shillings." (A/N Note: I have NO idea what the coins are like over there so sorry, I'm improvising. If someone helps me out, I'll give you a cookie and chapter lol.)

She counted the coins and placed them in my hand, giving me a smile. Faintly I wondered if she was plain ignorant to the town's annoyance of her…or if she just ignored it. Then again, why not both?

Ever since her mother was killed, everyone had turned their back on her and her father. They were once a respectable family; wealth, health and happiness. They even had Rose set up for an arranged marriage! I forget who exactly but it was to some soldier who was very rich. But when her mother got ran over by the carriage of gypsies, the family who wished to marry Rose to their son pulled away.

The mother had been robbing the Blacksmith's and was about to jump onto the carriage to escape with the gypsies when…well…betrayal. They had heard the soldiers coming so instead of waiting for the high-priced woman, they took off. She tried to run after and managed to get ahead of them. The night, however, turned on her too so she didn't see the carriage in front of her.

So because of that woman's greed for money, she left a daughter alone. Her daughter Rose was as ugly as her name was beautiful. Not to mention, there were rumors circulating around that her father was a lazy good for nothing bum; a drunk!

And by the looks of that ale she was buying, I'd say that just confirmed the gossip. Shaking my head, I started to prepare more dough. Throwing a pinch of flour on it, I started to roll it slowly. Flour helped it...

"Excuse me…" A man's voice came from the window. I glanced over to see a hunched over old man, I'd assume, since he wore a cloak over himself. "What is that girl's name over there?" A not-so thick finger pointed towards the red head.

She was looking for fruit, tilting her head several times as if seeing it from a different angle would help. Already, from the view I saw, she had a few apples and oranges in her basket. And from the look of that basket, I was willing to bet a loaf of bread that it was old and home-made.

"Rose…Why do you ask?"

Suddenly she walked over, completely ignoring the old man. She grinned again at me and this time, I couldn't help but grin back, for real this time. Offering three coins, she asked politely, "What kind of sweet pastry can I get for this, kind Baker?"

To be honest, three coins got you a small cookie. But I was fresh out and something inside me wanted to give her a real treat. Just reviewing from what I had heard, from what I had seen, I felt pity for the ugly child.

"Here." I gave her a cinnamon bun. It was gooey with sugary icing, the cinnamon on it fresh and smelling great. The scent was in the air. She inhaled deeply and smiled, sinking her teeth into it.

"Thank you sir." She exchanged the coins and walked away.

As she walked off, I looked back to where the old man was but…he wasn't there. Hmm…no matter. Turning, I went to put the dough in the oven. I wonder if my wife will make for dinner tonight…

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Next chapter: So is the story of her mom true? The maid at the Palace watches what Rose does. We'll also see Frollo talking to himself. What about? I don't know yet! Lol. Review please. **Whoever can make up a good French name for her mother and a last name for them, I'll dedicate a chapter to you.**


	4. Chapter 4

WOOHOO

**WOOHOO! I am BACK baby! Lol, the week in London was absolutely awesome! I'll try to post pics on my Myspace and such. Anyway, when I got back from London I noticed I had 94 emails! Sadly only 30 were fanfic related lol. And sadly, because we went walking and sight seeing and play seeing so much…I was too tired and busy to write chapters. So they might take a tad longer to update but will be updated. I GOT TO SEE **_**LORD OF THE RINGS MUSICAL, WICKED, BLOOD BROTHERS & BILLY ELLIOT**_**! XD THEY RULED! I'll thank everyone who reviewed in the next chapter.**

**Thanks to ****kamikaze-djali**** for giving me the names. Try were VERY French like and yet…graceful. Anyway, thanks again; this chapter is dedicated to you! Thanks to those who tried. I hope I got the names write and all.**

(Maid's POV)

"Rose Rousseau!" I exclaimed loudly. Placing my fist on my hips, I felt the wet rag in my right hand slap against my thigh. My eyes narrowed, my lips pursed. "You are late! This is the third time, girl! I know you need this job but you come here late once more, girl, and I will fire you! I'm sure Master Frollo would agree!"

The young lady before me turned at least four or so shades lighter. Her plain brown eyes widened slightly, her lips ready to form an excuse. I held up my hand, water dripping on the floor from the rag. "I'll let you slide this time, Rose. Next time…" I left off a threatening tone. "Now, get to the laundry room! We need another pair of hands to wash the Judge's clothes."

That was when she pulled out several pieces of cloth from a bag around her waist. "That's what I was going to say…" She stated calmly, "The reason why I'm late is that I did his laundry at my house. It's all clean and dried."

I was shocked to say the least. My eyebrows rose what felt like an inch but nodded none the less. "At least works getting done and you weren't diddy-dallying with some guy." Then again, with her looks that was basically impossible. "Go to the kitchen and clean. Then if, only if, the cook needs help, help him."

She smiled and nodded, jogging off after placing the clothes in my arms. Dropping the rag in the bucket of dirty soapy water, I walked up the stairs. Frollo's room was far up in the tower, the Palace of Justice. I'd drop them off since he was at the church by now; it was nearly noon!

Why did that Rose girl take his clothes home?

Was she really that dedicated? I would have liked to find out by asking whoever she worked for before but…this was her first job. Well, official job. The other jobs she did were scattered small ones that barely gave her enough money and were nearly impossible to track down.

Perhaps she was seeking his attention, his approval. Perhaps she wanted him to forgive her for her being ugly and her mother's sins as well. From what I heard, her mother's soul needed it.

How could that piece of filth pretend to be high and in love with her husband? What was her name…Mireille? Yes, that's what it was. I remember because my own sister, bless her old heart, told me it meant 'to admire'. And what a name her parents chose!

It was eerie how her parents called her that for as she grew older, many people did admire her. They looked up to her, seeing her as an example of a dedicated wife, a loving mother and a virtuous woman. Pfft!

Placing the Judge's clothes in his closet and drawers, I noticed a scowl over my face. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't get it off. Just thinking of that infuriating woman sends me into a fit!

She was a liar, a cheat, a fake, a pathetic wretch!

I know it was bad to think such a thing, but she got what she deserved!

The night she died, she had been on the corner, if you get my meaning. From what I had heard, she had just finished off the King of Gypsies, whoever that is. And when he paid her, she insisted more money. In response, the King ran her over with his carriage that he stole!

Shaking my head, I headed downstairs. Right now was not the time to think of the past. Right now was the time to clean the floors.

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(Rose's POV)

The chief, as always and as predicted, shooed me away from the kitchen. I dropped an egg last time and now he uses it as an excuse to make me leave him be. I knew he had been itching to get rid of me but that honestly injured me!

Glancing around, I realized that I had nothing to do. No one was near…meaning no one was watching me. No one to tell me what to do.

Smirking, I made my way to a certain church near by; Notre Dame.

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Next chapter: Ha ha! Another story of Mireille's death! Which is real? I'm going to offer two or three more different stories/POVs from people. Then we'll see the truth. Tell me which one you think is true so far. We see Rose Rousseau encounter with the Judge. Review please


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to all my reviewers! As I said before, I will be posting two more POV/stories from people that see Rose roaming. And then we will see the truth.**

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(Priest's POV)

I was just placing the item down when I heard the doors open and close quickly, as if someone was trying to sneak inside. This made me grin, almost chuckle. Young kids these days, they would rather sneak inside to pray for their soul than let their friends see. Or perhaps it was little children who often wished to play hide-and-seek, and then stop at the sight of the stained glass.

When I glimpsed over, I saw none. Instead, what I saw was a very ugly girl.

Rose Rousseau was her name. I've seen her around several times over the past two months. While it lit my heart up with joy to see one so young coming to church on her own…it also darkened it.

I had heard stories of her mother's death and, to be honest, hardly any of them made sense! Lighting another candle, I thought about Mireille. Although I could not officially say I knew her well, I still knew her. Every Sunday and Wednesday night, she would pull away from her home and come to the services here.

Once or twice she would stay after I stopped talking to the group of people and just sit there, praying. She looked like a mythical Goddess the way she placed her forehead on fists, her dark hair falling and almost draping over her face. Her personality was as beautiful as she was.

Once or twice, I would stay and talk to her. She'd first speak of her family's health and then inquire about my own. Then we would be talking of tales and gossip we heard on the street, laughing at it all. There were times, however, when she wished to speak of sin and forgiveness. Although it did not bother me then, I can't help but wonder even now after all these years if she asked because she did something wrong.

As her daughter, which by irony turned out as ugly as Mireille was beautiful, walked over to the pews, she hesitated. She walked over to the candles and reached for an unlit one. As she got the tip to feed off the flame of another, she muttered something under her breath, a prayer of course.

Now it would not be my place or position to gossip of the story I heard. That would go against the Bible and as a Priest, I can't do it. However, as a man, I can let a few details slide.

While Mireille was here, she questioned several times about being unfaithful and murder. I never understood why she asked that until the gossip spread around. Perhaps she committed a sin, like murdering a gypsy, and was killed in revenge. The ones who pass this church, the people that pass it seem to believe it too. She was killed in vengeance because she succeeded to kill one of their own.

But I am just an old man, what do I know?

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(Narrator's POV)

Rose lit a candle and, after placing it on the ledge, she laced her fingers together. She hated how they looked like skeleton hands, the skin prune from this morning's wash of clothes still. Ignoring her flaws for the moment, she let her forehead touch her hands and whispered a prayer.

After a moment passed, she whispered, "Amen." And turned, about to walk out of the church…but something caught her eye. It was movement near the staircase, a person perhaps. Her curiosity got the best of her.

The girl walked over, her slipper like shoes making no noise. Her bushy hair covered her eye for a moment but she pushed it back, reaching the end of the staircase. As soon as she stepped up four stairs…she felt a shiver.

Who could be living up here?

The hunchback, she thought. She had heard tales of the 'monster' named Quasimodo. And although she hated how Frollo called him 'half-formed', she still admired him for saving the poor lad. She hated and loved her boss, wondering if he even knew who she was.

To think she might be able to meet the hunchback though! She felt both disgusted and excited at the thought! Finally, she would meet someone to match her ugliness if not worse.

That was when a hand on her shoulder, another on her forearm that dragged her down the steps she had stepped on. Gasping softly, she bit back the urge to scream and turned. Her eyes were flamed with anger, "What in the…Oh goodness!" She whispered, shocked. "Judge Frollo!"

There before her was the Judge dressed in black, his hat with the ridiculous ribbon swishing from his walking moments ago. "What are you doing, you ignorant girl?!" He exclaimed, lowering his voice as though remembering where they were.

The blushing girl curtsied and muttered, "A thousand apologies, sir. I was merely curious. I…"

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "…You're one of my servants…the one who does my clothes. Rose, am I right?" Her face darkened, honored and feeling faint that he knew her name.

"Y-Yes sir!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was praying, sir. Of course I plan to get back to work fight now and…" He stopped her once again.

"Your mother was Mireille Rousseau, am I right?"

Rose hesitated, obviously confused of what that had to do with anything. "Yes sir…"

"Then come, we will go back to the Palace and dine to talk." He led her out of the church.

The confused and flustered girl couldn't believe her role model was going to take her to a meal; to talk about…this made her hesitate. Would they talk of her mother? It seemed he was interested in her because of that.

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Next chapter: Another story of Mireille's death! Lunch for Judge and Rose, he tells her what he heard of her mother. It might be true since he is a Judge and has well connections. Then, she goes home that night to change into her bar working outfit. That is where she meets the guys that will bet her to find the Court of Miracles. Review please


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to those who have reviewed! We might find out the truth in this chapter about the mother but then again, the Judge can easily have clouded memory. **

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They stepped out of the church and into a carriage. In curiosity and regret, she risked a glance up towards the bell tower. For a split second, she thought she saw a shadow move. Was it her imagination? The sun playing tricks? Or had the Quasimodo hunchback watched his master leave?

When she slid into the carriage, she felt the cushioned seats relax her. A faint sound of a whip echoed, the driver telling the horses to move. They were off to some fancy place no doubt. She grinned and looked out the window, her frizzy hair covering her eye for a moment.

They rode in silence except for the occasional bumps of road kill or pot holes. Rose looked over at Frollo as though she merely meant to look out the other window. Immediately she regretted it and tried to stop herself from blushing. He was watching her! He was studying her, drinking in every detail and thinking of her.

Finally the carriage stopped.

Frollo stepped out first, forcing Rose to resist temptation to grab the ribbon. Why did he wear such a silly thing? Surely the children would want to play with it like she did. Then again…with the way he behaved, how 'cold' he was, they probably knew to stay away.

Judge Frollo held out his hand, helping her off the carriage. She smiled and blushed, her dull eyes sparkling bright. "Thank you sir…" She muttered softly.

He nodded and, still holding her hand, walked inside a very…expensive place. There were seats outside of silver cushioned chairs and a foggy glass table, all soaking in the sun. On top of the tables was a small vase of flowers. However, it would seem the Judge didn't want to get overheard on whatever they were going to speak of, so he pulled her away.

They went inside on the second floor. It was well lit yet casted a gloomy feeling. She frowned at this and, before the Judge could chose, she sat at a table next to the window. The window was open, allowing fresh air to come in. There was a vase with a rose in the middle, the only table that had this. These tables were wood but had metal legs, the chairs cushioned wood as well.

A man came over and asked what they would like. Rose felt overwhelmed with the prices, the selection and the names in another language. Italian, perhaps? What if she ordered something she didn't like? What if it cost too much?

Thankfully, the Judge ordered for her, "The girl will have the salad and roast beef."

"Alright sir, what would you like to drink?" The man asked, taking all this down mentally.

While Frollo asked for wine, Rose said, "I'm too young to drink so carelessly. Um…can I just have some water?"

"Right away." He left, returning a minute later with red wine and water.

As they waited for their meals to appear, Rose was staring out the window. She glanced down at the silverware and forced herself not to smile. Many girls in her class wouldn't know how to eat salad with which fork. However, since she was at one time rich, she knew what spoon was what, what fork went where. Oh how would the Judge react to that?! Would he be amazed?

"There have been many rumors circulating around your mother's death, Rose." The Judge's deep voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She jumped slightly and looked up, hesitate and unsure of what to say. "Such a beautiful woman killed, leaving her own ugly flesh and blood to a father who drinks like a fish. Tragic, just tragic."

Rose looked away. It wasn't the first time she had been called ugly; in fact, she was used to it. It was normal for her to hear that cruel word and she hardly let it bother her sometimes. Other times, like now, she wished she was beautiful. To have the great Judge Claude Frollo call her pretty, even beautiful…oh how she longed to hear it from someone!

"I have heard a rumor, my dear, that your mother's death was planned. If I may tell you? I must confirm such a story to be true or false. After all, what kind of Judge would I be to listen to gossip blindly?" Frollo asked softly.

When she nodded, he went on. "Your mother was in the midst of going for a midnight stroll, so I was told when she saw the King of Gypsies trying to destroy my Palace. She stopped him by calling the guards but he escaped, swearing revenge on her. A few days later, as she went for her stroll, so I was told, she was run over by a carriage. Is this what truly happened?"

Rose's mouth dropped which was very unladylike. Forcing herself to regain posture, she shook her head. Her frizzy hair fell from the place behind her ears. She looked down at the table. "A-Actually sir…she…"

Their food arrived.

Relief flooded through Rose's body; making her wonder if she'd be able to lift the silverware up. Luckily, she did. As she ate, there was silence. Frollo's eyes were still on her, she felt them.

An hour passed and they, thankfully, spoke of other things.

"Well, I must be going sir. I have to attend to Father and then my other job. Thank you so much sir, I am in your debt for this meal." She stood up and smiled. For a moment in the evening light, she looked…pretty.

"You're welcome, my dear. And have no worries about being in debt. I will see you at work tomorrow. Do you need a ride to your house?" He stood up as well, walking down the stairs.

"No sir, I can manage. Thank you once more. Good bye!"

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The walk home took a little longer than she expected. Grabbing her outfit, she stumbled into her room to change. Her bar working outfit was to her knees, a dark blue dress that did not go with her looks. The top part was similar to a French Maid's. After all, she needed the tips at a bar. What other way to take advantage of a drunken man?

"Rose! Where's my dinner?!" Her father's voice rang out, making her wince.

"I don't have time to make it, Father, I'm running late. If you can't find anything to eat, I'll bring some back at midnight after my shift is over." She placed her shoes on and ran off. The shoes were similar to slippers but the bottoms leather.

A few minutes later, she arrived at a bar called _"Tavern Du Freaks."_

Very fitting name for her to work at; Tavern of Freaks. And every night, she was reminded of why it was called that. The men in there were freaks! They were ignorant rude cocky sinners! Still, they paid well and she managed to keep her modesty.

A few hours passed and the town bell rang 12 times; midnight at last. As she was about to retire, a man by the name of Joe chuckled. "What's a pretty little miss like you doing here? Shouldn't you be on the streets?"

Her eyes flared with anger. "I am no whore…unlike your mother." She grinned, unable to help but taunt the drunk man. However, he moved pretty sober for a guy who drank four cups of ale.

He almost hit her when his friends grabbed him. "Tell you what…You look like you could use some money. No, no, I'm not talking about sex. If you want to earn a few hundreds…Me and my buddies have been looking for the Court of Miracles. Rumor says that it be in the graveyard. If you find it, dollface, I'll give you money."

Now she **knew **he was drunk! Who else would call her such a name?!

"If I don't?"

"Then we'll discuss the matters later."

"Hmm…if I win, I want the money _and _you have to wear a dress in this tavern for a day. It'd be good for business." Rose grinned.

"…Deal."

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Next chapter: She travels to the graveyard where, rumor has it; the Court of Miracles is at! She roams and sees nothing suspicious but the grave with the soldier on it catches her eye. She looked over it and, suddenly, is thrown into it! Review please


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks to those who have reviewed

**Thanks to those who have reviewed!**

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The travel to the graveyard was long and eerie. At first, young Rose was smiling as she walked with her animal skin like slippers hitting the pavement. As time slipped by, she grew annoyed and tired as well as worried. Did the bell just ring twice? Or once?

Finally, she reached the graveyard. The moon lit it up, thankfully, so at least she knew what- or who- she was stepping on. There were fresh mounds of dirt, the Earth still damp from it being dug up. Some parts, which she tried to avoid as much as possible, were nothing but mud! Had it rained recently?

Remembering what she had to do, she cast aside all thoughts on weather. It didn't matter- just so long as she didn't sink into the grave. That thought made her shiver. It was weird enough to be under the moon in a graveyard…but to think that you might get pulled under…that was just scary.  
How had she ended up coming here? Oh right, the bet with the drunken man. How stupid she was to fight with a guy who called her 'dollface'! Honestly now, she blamed her mother's genes. Pride seemed to be a curse upon the woman in her family.

Despite her cursing her stupidity and pride, she had to admit she was a little happy she did this. A small part of her was always curious of where the Court of Miracles was at. Sometimes she'd daydream invading their precious little sanctuary and kill them all! Then she'd get a pat on the back from the great Judge Frollo and…

But it was all stupid, utterly stupid illusions created by a girl who wanted, thirsted, for revenge.

For the past year or so, she had sudden urges to search for the place. There were multiple rumors of where it could be, most created by the Gypsies themselves to throw others off. So when she heard a whisper of gossip of such a place, she'd get Goosebumps. Still, she couldn't have searched for it. She would have looked silly, especially when her search turned out to be fruitless!

Not to mention, when would she have the time?

Oh well, now she had a reason. It was a love/hate reason, but none the less a valid one. She searched the place high and low for a few hours. The clock rang four times. She rubbed her tired eyes and stretched. There was no way she'd be able to find it within one night…perhaps if she saw the man again, she'd ask for more time. Then again, there was always the chance that he would be too drunk and too hung over to remember such a bet.

Just as she planned to leave, a certain tomb caught her eye. Walking over to it, she noted that although there was a semi-bare tree hanging over it…there were no leaves. A normal person would assume that the wind had blown them all away…but Rose was not a normal person. And too, it had a picture of a soldier on it.

She reasoned with herself; if it really was just a grave with a soldier on it, she'd pay her respects…if not, then she'd investigate. Walking over to it, she bit her lip and placed her hands on the tomb opening. A shiver went through her, a frown on her pale pink lips.

Slowly, she pushed it open. Hoping there was no body in it, she pried it wide as four inches or so. There was no body, no dirt, no dust, no worms…no ground. It looked like a black hole or something. No…it was just…black.

Curious, she opened it further, being careful not to fall in. Suddenly she was aware of the loud footsteps behind her. Spinning around, she saw three people. The moonlight shined on them and…it was the men from the bar!

A scream left her lips as she was shoved into the grave, seeing the light die as it was closed once more. She stumbled down what felt like stairs, landing with a loud groan when she hit the ground. Well…so much for being silent.

Struggling to stand, she looked around. Nothing but pure darkness so she relied on her other senses. It smelt dirty and damp…the ground was somewhat wet…she could feel some sort of rough texture on the walls. Thinking it'd be safer to explore than to go back up and face those drunken bastards, she walked.

Sadly for her, she had been too loud…People had heard and were now watching.

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Next chapter: We see her travel through the tunnel and her capture. We see her spit fire at the King of Gypsies (who she doesn't realize is the King, but knows is a Gypsy.) Review please


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to ClopinGypsyKing & Opaque Opal for the reviews!**

The wall she kept and almost clung onto for support was…weird feeling. Unsure of how to explain it, the only thing she could think of was that it was bumpy. It was hard yet slightly wet probably from the water that swallowed her ankles, it was bumpy and rough yet…smooth. So odd.

However, the young Rose ignored it. The water she walked in was what worried her the most at this moment. It was cold and stunk to the high heavens, but that of course was not her pain concern. At the beginning of the 'watery path' she had stepped into a huge hole, which got her knee and down wet. Every now and then she'd almost fall into another, forcing her to be slow and careful.

Any other person would have decided that this journey was not worth risking life and limb over. They would have said to themselves that this didn't have to lead to the Court of Miracles, it could have led to nowhere but death! They would have turned around and nearly sprinted out. Then again, 'they' hadn't had their mothers killed by these freaks.

A scowl managed to creep upon her dirt covered face. Bitterness crept up her throat…or was that bile from the horrible stench? Quickly, she got rid of any other thoughts and focused.

When she walked, she was careful not to go. Needless to say that when the ground went up, dry land might I add, that she was unprepared. With a soft yelp, she tripped and slammed her head onto the ground. Well…at least there wasn't any water there.

Groaning, she sat up and looked around. Nothing but darkness! Wait…wait! She squinted her eyes, thinking she saw something move. Although she failed to see something, she could see the outlines of someone or something…and it was moving towards her!

Perhaps it was a hallucination. You could have those in the dark, right? Anything these days could trick the eyes; a piece of moldy bread, a slice of cheese aged too much, or even raw meat! Or maybe it was the foul smelling water…

It was either for when she stopped moving completely, she heard footsteps. They weren't loud like wooden clogs or anything, in fact they were soft. They were so soft that as long as she moved even a little, she would have never been able to hear them. Maybe the shoes were made of finely beat deer skin or cloth or something.

Alerted, she stood up and felt arms grab her arms, bodies pressed against her back to stop her from trying to run. Fire lit up the room, allowing her to see six skeletons! Her dull eyes widened and she gave a piercing scream, using the girlish vocal chords she was given to their full extent. It took a few seconds as she screamed but she finally realized they were in costumes…still, she was captured by men! That only made her scream more.

One slapped a gloved hand over her mouth, silencing her within moments. Panting, she looked up at the man before her. Strands of her frizzy hair covered her eyes, giving her the look of fear from the lights shadow.

The man before her had a long nose, a frown on his slightly big mouth and his dark, almost black she noted, eyes narrowed with suspicion. His hair was covered by a hat with a feather in it. He looked familiar…

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He leaned forward at this rhetorical question, "What is the name of such an ugly girl?"

"Rose." She stated calmly, trying desperately to think of a way out and from the men's grasp.

As predicted, the six skeletal men around her burst into laughter. "Oh Fate is so cruel and loves irony to give such a name fit for a princess to a girl who looks as filthy as the rags she wears!" The big nosed one crackled, holding his sides.

It was a risky move, Rose knew, to do what she was planning to do. However, it was her only hope and chance. She couldn't stand not knowing what could have happened if she didn't try.

Kneeing both men that held her between their legs, she shoved them backwards. Two loud splashes echoed loudly in this small cave like tunnel. She grabbed ahold of one of the lit torches and sprinted through the water. It was so dirty!

When she looked at the wall, seeing skulls, she choked and retched. Had she been touching that?! The water clung to her dress, slowing her down. Taking a risk, she looked behind her…nothing. No light, meaning they put it out. She couldn't hear anyone pursuing her since her own feet hitting the water overcame any other sound.

Knowing she was risking to be captured again, she stopped and ripped off the ends of her dress. It now reached above her knees a little; better to be less modest and alive than to be modest and dead. Quickly, she took off again but without any light this time.

Suddenly she was tackled down into the water. Struggling to at least sit up, she felt something rough and harsh tighten around her arms…then her ankles. Screaming, she tried to bite someone but bit something instead; a rag gag.

In the darkness, she saw nothing because her own fear distracted her vision, stopped her from seeing outlines. However, she felt herself be picked up and taken somewhere.

Who were these people? Gypsies, of course.

…They were going to kill her, her heart whispered.

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Next chapter: She's dragged into the Court of Miracles and, instead of being hung, is taken to a tent totally tied up. What will she do when she realizes she shares a tent with the big nosed King of Gypsies? Review please

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	9. Chapter 9

Being carried was both a blessing and a curse for young Rose Rousseau.

The good part of this was that she didn't have to walk anymore. Her feet were aching and the back of her legs, the calves, were sore beyond belief. Plus, if she had to walk, she would have risked falling into another hole or running into something and harming herself.

The down side of this was…well, she was being carried by gypsies! Not only were these pieces of filth touching her, they were reducing her chance of escaping. If she had been walking, she could have planned another escape. That was probably what they thought too. Oh, and not to mention the fact that her dress was shorter than modesty should allow. She felt like retching when their hands touching her bare leg.

And although she was gagged, she tried to see the Brightside of it. So far only the dark downcast had overcome her thoughts. She was gagged, stopped from screaming for help or just to plain annoy them. She couldn't talk her way out if they wanted to kill her, which they probably did want to, and worst of all, she couldn't fight back at their verbal insults.

One bright side of it was that if she was gagged, then she couldn't talk. State the obvious, but that also meant that she was forced to listen to them. It was a blessing that they stopped her from talking since she probably would have failed. Not only did they save her a few good beatings, they also shot themselves in the foot. Besides the insults they threw at her, they spoke of the King.

"What do you his Highness will do to her?" The man's voice was slightly high by a tone or two, giving Rose the impression that he was one of the ones she hit between the legs. She smirked smugly.

The other one that carried her legs shrugged and replied, "Probably hang her. Then again, he might question her just for the humor and humility. What do you think?"

Suddenly a voice, which probably belonged to the big nosed gypsy, rang out, "Now, now, be silent you two! The poor ugly girl must have been through enough already. Perhaps we should show hospitality and show that not all gypsies are cruel like you, hm? She'll stay in my tent."

Having been too shocked about the 'staying in my tent' part, she failed to realize how the two carrying her obeyed the man without question. Perhaps if she _had _noticed, she would have been spared a great deal of trouble later. Oh well, let's go on with the story!

They were on solid dry ground now, she noted mentally. The way they did not dip and almost stumble gave it away. She was grateful for this, meaning she wouldn't be tossed about and risk being thrown to the ground on accident. Sadly, bad news must come with the good. This also meant that they were nearing the Court of Miracles.

Finally, they reached it. Although it was night, she had to wince at the bright lights. No, it wasn't bright at all! It was merely several torches lit along the path. It was merely the fact of her being stuck in darkness for so long that got her to think it was as bright as the sun.

Everything was so…so…so...colorful! Rose would have smiled if it hadn't been for the fact that these beautiful colors were lived in by vermin gypsies! Still, she looked around with huge eyes. The tents were as tall as the sky...no, as tall as the ceiling. Almost forgetting they were underground, she realized that the torches served a purpose after all. This also meant that it could be day and they'd _still _have the torches on! Was this good or bad?

They passed a bunch of nooses hanging loosely from wood. She gave a shiver and looked away, averting her gaze everywhere and anywhere from such a horrible sight. Death was not what she feared; it was how she'd die. She'd ran fall on a sword then be killed by gypsies!

The two men that had carried her ensured that the ropes around her bare ankles and wrists were tight. Once satisfied, they basically threw her into a tent. It was as colorful as the rest, some dark purples and others a light red. There were sunset orange shades, apple green tones and even a tone of golden yellow! The yellow was the only difference between this tent and the rest.

Did this mean something?

As she lay there, wincing at how the rough stone not covered by carpet rubbed against her leg, she wondered what was to happen. Carefully, she rubbed the ropes around her ankles against the rub texture of the ground. Once they fell off, she smiled behind the gag.

Just as she was about to rub the rope around her wrist against the floor…a foot stepped on her. Looking up, she saw the big nosed gypsy…and he wasn't very happy. A sneer was on his dark face, amusement gleaming in his eyes despite the annoyance he probably felt.

Rose gulped slightly and yanked her hands away, sitting up straight. The man smirked and knelt down, inches away which made her move back. A thought occurred to her for only a second; she must look even more ugly since she went through that tunnel.

"If I untie you and remove the gag, do you promise not to try to run?" He asked with a deep yet calming voice. "Because if you do," He continued despite her nodding in agreement, "There is nothing but gypsies with daggers around us. They will catch you if they see you run."

Glaring with her dark brown eyes, she nodded.

He took out a dagger, one that held one diamond at the end. Why did it seem like he got something different than the others? He sliced the ropes and untied the gag, giving her a glass of fresh water.

Instead of drinking, however, she threw it at his face.

What a night this should be, the gypsy thought bitterly as water dripped off his nose.

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Next chapter: Conversation between the King (whom she still doesn't realize is the King) and Rose. Review please


	10. Chapter 10

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The gypsy glared at the girl with an annoyed look. It was clear that by this simple event that she had gotten on his nerves. It was also clear, Rose noted mentally, that he seemed not to have a lot of patience. Perhaps she should tread cautiously…

"What is your name?" He asked with a surprisingly calm voice.

"I told you already," She sneered with venom, "It's Rose."

The big nosed man rolled his eyes, "What is your _full_ name, you insufferable woman?" Although he meant to insult her, Rose couldn't help but grin. He was holding her captive and repeating himself and _she_ was insufferable?! She had been gagged until now!

As she answered, the man couldn't help but think that her grin made her look…a bit more appealing, a little less ugly in this light. "My full name is Rose Rousseau. What does it matter? And who are you anyhow?"

Something in his dark eyes sparkled, like fire set to gun powder. What did her name mean to him to make his mind react in such a way which gave away his surprise in his eyes? She bit her lip, tempted to ask about that. Was her mother really that famous around here?

"Rousseau…" He whispered, stroking his goatee, lost in thought. The way his almost coal black eyes twinkled made Rose stare. In a way, she was hypnotized…those damn gypsies and their sinful tricks! "Such a beautiful name…how did it come across to you?"

Feeling anger flare up, she snarled, "It was passed on, just like all second names! Now tell me who you are!" The ropes around her wrists were annoying her as she slammed it down on the rough ground. Her subconscious mind was obviously trying to cut them off without him knowing, trying to be sly. And in the man's dazed thoughtful state, he didn't notice.

"My name is Clopin." He bowed slightly, grabbing her hands and kissing them both on the back. Ignoring her blush, he raised an eyebrow. "Tsk, tsk, I would have untied you when I felt the time was necessary…Why do you try to do things by yourself?" So he finally noticed the ropes around her wrists.

"…I…" It took a moment of hesitation to think of what she planned to say. Rose was shocked at how his touch affected her. Not many men, or anyone for that matter, would willingly grip her hand or wrists. "I lack patience for slow people like you. So Clopin…what are you going to do with me?"

The way she sounded so casual, a stranger passing by would assume it was meant to be sexual. During this long pause of awkward silence, Rose felt her cheeks warm up. "That's not what I meant." She corrected herself, "I simply wanted to know what is going to happen to me…death or questioning or…what?"

"Hmm…" He said thoughtfully as he leaned against a chest…or was it a treasure chest? Taking out his dagger with a diamond imbedded at the end of it, he twirled it around on his finger. Although his eyes were on it, she had a strong suspicion that he wasn't actually paying attention.

"Well…?" Rose said with annoyance, rubbing the ropes off slowly. She had been waiting for an answer for the past five minutes at least!

Without looking, he used the dagger to stab her hands! Just as she inhaled to scream, she looked down…the air exhaled out of her like a balloon. The dangerous weapon had just went thorough the ropes, cutting them loose. Pulling her hands freely apart, she felt anger and humiliation bubble up inside her chest. She knew she had to look pale with fear.

"There. Now then, down to business." He shifted from his seating position, resting on his knees merely inches from her. "I will keep you alive because I've heard rumors you work for Claude Frollo." The way he rolled his eyes and sneered made her feel an all new hatred for the gypsy.

"Yes and how dare you speak his name?! A filthy heathen like you doesn't deserve to say his…" She started to shout. However, he covered her mouth with a purple gloved hand. Ew, where had these been?

"Calm yourself or else I'll have you gagged again." Clopin frowned. "I will be asking you questions about him…and about how you came down here. But first…" As if right on cue, her stomach growled rather loud. Embarrassment overtook her hatred in a matter of seconds. He wore a rather smug smirk that made Rose want to slap off his face. "…how about some food?"

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Next chapter: Questions, food, and humor. I won't update till I have a review.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to Opaque Opal & ClopinGypsyKing for reviewing. To Cosettabella, there were different herbs that served as lotions back in that time, thanks. **

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Before Rose lay a small plate of food. It wasn't much, especially for a gypsy to get, but it was a bit more than what she'd usually have at home, as much as she hated to admit. Still, it seemed like a lot more than a common gypsy could it…was Clopin special? Or was he…did he steal it?

Deciding to voice her question, she bit into a shiny apple and asked, "So, who did you steal this from?" With a small gesture of her hand, she obviously meant the bread, the cheese, the apple (which she was eating) and the wine. There was also some dried beef, very delicious looking.

Clopin chuckled as he cut up his own apple with the very same dagger that cut her ropes. He was talented, she reluctantly admitted silently, for he was pretty…skilled with those sharp objects. How long did he spend each day practicing? How many weeks, months, or years did it take for him to learn all that?

"Come now, your Highness…a gypsy can earn money fairly and buy food to supply it to a Princess like yourself." He sneered slightly as he answered, sarcasm dripping on the floor as he spoke. Suddenly his eyes sparkled and he laughed out loud, "Princess! It is bad enough your real name contradicts your face but…Princess! That's what I'll call you from now on."

Anger contorted her face. "You will not!" She snapped, throwing the apple core at him. He placed his dagger in the air, making it stab right through. "My name is Rose and I will not be made fun of by being called that stupid childish name!"

He chuckled once more, throwing the apple core away. He stated, "If you say so…" He waited till she dug into the bread and cheese, "…Princess." Thankfully her mouth was full so she couldn't reply. Thank goodness for manners…

After she finished off her bread and cheese, she nibbled on the dried beef. Clopin looked over, unable to resist teasing, "Gee, Princess, you seem to be starving. Don't they feed you up in that Palace you work at?"

A piece of meat hit his head. "Not that it's any of your business but I work there, not live there obviously meaning they don't feed me anything."

"Then don't they feed you at the palace you live in?" He referred to her house. Did he think she was rich just because she acted 'snobbish' or high? Or did he know the reputation of her mother, the old reputation, and think she was still rich?

Snorting, she shook her head and looked away, not wanting to say anymore. Her frizzy hair got in the way, thankfully, and hid her face from Clopin's view. What should she say to this man? Why should she reply to such a question? It was personal and she didn't know him enough to answer it…she didn't want to even if she did know him. She didn't want to even know him!

"Really, Princess, you look even more unbecoming when your face is so twisted with rage." Clopin mentioned as he stood.

"The only reason my face is 'so twisted with rage'," She stood up as well, fist curled, "Is because of you!"

He rolled his eyes and feigned innocence, placing a purple glove over his heart, "Me?! Nonsense, I've been nothing but kind. You're the one who seems to be throwing a fit." Suddenly his child like appearance and attitude disappeared, leaving a very serious Clopin in its shoes. "Now, down to business…"

"…Do you have two people living inside you?" Rose asked suddenly, wondering if this gypsy was right in the head. So many weren't, so of course it was normal for her to assume such a thing. After all, who in their right mind would jest and joke, teasing and taunting…and then become serious within seconds?

Ignoring her question, which made Rose feel a little uneasy, Clopin said, "You might want to sit down, these questions might take a while."

Doing as he suggested, she asked, "Why? Because there's a lot of questions?"

"No, because you might not answer that as fast as I ask them." He smirked and sat down as well, making her think about her earlier question about the two people thing. Even sitting he managed to almost tower over her. Now that she thought about it, he could be quite frightening when he wished to be.

"Now then…You work at Judge Frollo's castle, don't you?" He asked with a hint of hatred in his tone. Resisting the urge to smirk, she nodded. He continued, "A girl like you, so quiet and so…refined, especially in his arrogant presence, must hear a lot of things. So, does he know anything of the location of the Court of Miracles, which you sit in at this moment?"

Frowning, she crossed her arms and stayed quiet. It was bad enough that he insinuated that Claude Frollo was arrogant, but to even have the nerve to ask about that information! She heard many things for, once you got past the ugliness and got used to it, she could blend into almost anything. Even though she wasn't really under any order or contract to be quiet, she would not tell him a thing.

"Alright, next question. How many gypsies has he captured under false charges? How many are 'witches' and 'thieves'?" Clopin asked, relaxing some.

She snapped, "All of them! They are all thieves and witches! Judge Frollo obviously has a good reason to bring them up on 'false' charges as you say. And as for the number, I count many ten or more by the screams and whips I hear."

Clopin's face grew red with rage when he heard this. In a matter of moments, he managed to calm down though. With a very sly grin, one that Rose didn't much care for, he asked, "So tell me Rose…how is your mother and father doing?"

Growling, she tackled him down and was about to scream something when the tent flaps opened. There stood a man, the very same which she had kicked earlier. Trying to keep her face from showing signs of smugness, she looked up and bit her lip. "Um…" He looked at her on top of Clopin, who was smirking.

"I just can't keep the Princess off of me."

"Whatever you say, King Clopin. Your taste in girls are repulsive but…whatever you wish."

"KING CLOPIN?!" She shouted with such surprise and shock that she threw herself off him.

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Next chapter: She FINALLY realizes he's the King…imagine when they go to bed how weird it will be. Review please.


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, I've been SO busy lately that I really haven't had the chance to write a lot of HoND. Plus, I've been trying to write my own original story so...yeah lol.

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"KING CLOPIN?!" She exclaimed once more, her face as red as her flower like name. Her tone showed just how shocked she was, just how surprised she was, and just how angry she was. If she was staying in the King's tent then, her subconscious mind planned wickedly, she would try to kill him. She would wait till he slept, killed him, and try to sneak out. Even if she died, which she hoped she wouldn't, on the way out, at least she would take **King **Clopin with her.

The gypsy chuckled dryly, "Sharp as a marble, aren't you?" He stood up and wiped the imaginary dust from his stockings. "Very well." He looked over at the guard who had stormed in and kept his ground. "You may leave…be wary though."

Did Clopin know or guess of her plan? If so, she would have to wait for a few nights until their guards were down and then kill him. Then again, what said she would be staying there for that long? Why not escape and go to Frollo, revealing the location of Court of Miracles and the name of the King, gaining a huge position of excellence on the Judge's good side?

"Now then…according to my built in clock," he joked lightly, "It is time to sleep. There's a small pallet of blankets right there. I'll be sleeping on that cot…I must advise you not to try anything. My men are near the tents and would hear a struggle if one were to occur." Smugness clouded his voice as he walked towards his cot, smiling almost charmingly.

With a soft growl of annoyance, she forced herself to keep her calm and do as he said. It took a lot of forbearance to resist the urge to hit him right then and there. Wasn't he the one who killed her mother? No…she would not think about that stuff right now. If she did, she knew she wouldn't be able to control her body once rage possessed it.

As she managed to push the thoughts of her past, of her mother, out of her mind, she felt exhaustion take over. The girl bit back a yawn, determined not to make Clopin feel even smugger than before. Lying on the blankets, she hesitated. She should trust the gypsy? Of course not! However, all thoughts of him trying to kill her or molest her were tossed aside as sleep crept into her mind. Anyway, she was too ugly to molest…Clopin seemed handsome enough to get whatever girl he wanted, even without the title of fake royalty.

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Next chapter: Sorry for the short chapter, I've been busy and wanted to add a little something. We'll see the dreams of Rose's recent life mashed together…Clopin and Rose fight and MAYBE talk about her mother. Review please.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks very much to ****Dragon-Girl-Begins7, Opaque Opal, and Miss-Monster-Kimono for reviewing. I had nearly forgotten about this story, what with my other stories raging on. Sorry for the LONG wait.**

**Note: I already said this is not going to follow EVERY detail of the movie; plus, I would like to stress that, despite my other stories, this one has no romance between Frollo and Rose. Just wanted to make that clear.**

**Oh, mind you, I said her dream will be MASHED together…so expect abrupt turns/scenes/whatever. I'm VERY unsure if I described her mother before so if I did, forgive me and I'll change it.**

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Rose had just gotten this job three weeks ago. She was unsure of what to do, nervous to be working under such a powerful influence of Paris. Still, she felt a thrill and a shiver when she thought about it. Perhaps when they caught the filth they harmed her mother, she could persuade the Judge to let her handle the punishment.

_A good few days of torture unless they confessed and when they confessed to the murder, add on witchcraft. When they collapsed under the pain, add more and more charges! Then, after at least a week or so, she would order them to be pelted with tomatoes before they're hung._

_She was kneeling next to the balcony, scrubbing the floor to make it shine. She sighed softly, her arms aching. Why should she have to get two jobs while her father stayed at home? She seriously hoped she wouldn't become like him; dependent on alcohol.  
She just finished and tried to stand, gasping when her legs gave out. They had fallen asleep while she sat on them. Now kneeling on the wet floor, she tried to rest for a moment. The doorway echoed with two sets of footfalls and a voice. She immediately recognized one of the voices as Judge Claude Frollo. The other was a mystery._

_Gasping, she hid and thanked the wind for covering her sharp intake of air. She was hiding behind a corner of the balcony, her eyes watching the doorway. Out emerged no other than Frollo, his ribbon hat flowing in the wind. Rose blushed faintly; despite the utmost respect for him, she always longed to play with that ribbon. _

_Behind him followed a man in armor, spurs clinking together as he walked, and a sword at his waist. He had blond hair, yellow almost, and his eyes were a sharp blue. He had a beard, barely noticeable. Rose frowned; hadn't she seen him before?_

_"These gypsy vermin…" She heard bits and pieces of his speech. She shivered, hearing his deep voice echo towards her. She could fall asleep listening to his tone. It was so deep…she loved it. _

_When the blond finally spoke, she could tell he was bored and would probably rather be riding his horse instead. "Yes sir, I'll see to it immediately." _

_Her hands covered her mouth and this time, the wind couldn't cover her loud gasp. That man next to Claude was no other than Phoebus! She knew where she had seen him before…he was the man she was supposed to marry before her mother died! _

_Both men looked at her direction. Ducking, she placed one hand over her heart and ignored the fact that soap from the scrubbing was now on her chest and hand. She could feel her heart pounding, scared to see the man and for him to recognize her. Biting her lip, she looked up when she heard footsteps next to her…_

_Clopin stood there, chuckling as he dangled a dagger before her face. She tried to hit him or even attempt to steal his knife away but she couldn't. Glancing at her hands, she gasped; they were tied together! When she looked up, she saw that she was alone. She wasn't at the balcony…she was sitting on a street._

_Her mother…she gaped. Her mother was near by! She was walking on the side of the road. The very image and definition of beauty…struck down by a filthy gypsy's carriage. Rose tried to run to her, to scream, but she was tied up. Her scream came out as a whisper…_

Rose's dark brown eyes shot open. Her dark skin was drenched with sweat, just like her clothes that clung to her. Her fire like red hair wasn't wild anymore simply because of the perspiration of fear, making it slick in a way. She shot up, her limbs shaking ever so slightly. It was like an Earthquake passed, leaving her trembling.

Her vision was blurry and unfocused at first.

What time was it? The candles and torches were on but they were underground; they were always on. Clopin…he would know. Oh wait, _King _Clopin should know. She glanced at the bed where he once was and saw it empty.

Sitting up, she stretched and grimaced. She felt so…sticky and disgusting. That was because of the sweat…imagine what it felt like with the grime! Shivering, she looked around. Perhaps she could take a bath…get some food…where was Clopin anyway? The King of Bastards didn't seem to be in there.

She stepped outside of the tent and looked around. There was no one! No guards were there, no gypsy children spawned by Satan, no people…where were they? Although she didn't mind being away from the gypsies, she still hated the idea of being alone…underground.

She took a few cautious steps and gasped suddenly.

There was a dagger at her throat, an arm from the corner of a tent. Out poked Clopin's face. "…Trying to escape?" His voice was full of arrogance and smugness, his accent making it worse.

Rose snarled, "If I was, I wouldn't have been so slow! Where is everyone?"

"Ah," he placed his weapon in his belt, "does this mean the High and Mighty Princess actually cares for my people?"

"Never!" She snarled, crossing her arms.

"To answer your question, Prissy Princess, they are working." He pushed her back into the tent.

"Working?" She echoed. "Stop calling me that! What do you mean working? Vermin doesn't work, they stea- oh… 'working'."

Clopin smiled and chuckled dryly. "You look like a mess, Princess. Although we don't have our own servants, I'll get my most trusted sister to help you clean up. You look like you desperately need it." After a moment's pause, he added, "Oh, and we don't have bath salts, Your Highness."

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Next chapter: Rose walks around and meets Esmeralda, unsure of what to think at first really; thoughts about Phoebus. (After all, I kind of sprung that one on y'all out of nowhere lol.) Review please.


	14. Chapter 14

Thanks very much to Opaque Opal, and Miss-Monster-Kimono for reviewing

**Thanks very much to**** Opaque Opal, and Miss-Monster-Kimono for reviewing! I had a few chapters in the beginning with different people's POV. Let's see Esmeralda's POV! Lol, and yes my dear friend Opaque Opal, that dream she had was events in her life so all of it happened…just not…mashed together like that.**

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Esmeralda's POV

Standing at the entrance of the colorful tents, I couldn't help but smiled at the scene before me. It would appear that sly Clopin was taunting the girl. Good o Clopin. He mentioned something about us which made the rather ugly girl flush with rage. I wondered if she was mad at that fact or mad that he was mocking her. Perhaps both!

The girl's deadly pale skin turned a dark red as she inhaled sharply to shoot back a retort. Honestly, didn't she ever spend time in the sun outside? When she stomped her foot like the gypsy children a few steps behind me, her hair bounced. I glanced sideways at mine and found them completely opposite; hers was frizzy and was sticking out this way and that way while mine was the normal silk like appearance. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her

"Clopin? Is she ready?" I finally announced my presence, making both of them spin towards me. Had they really been at each other's throats so much that they failed to feel the chilly air enter the King's tent? It looked like the gypsy man finally met his match.

The man smiled and quickly rushed over to me, placing his arm around me and pulling me into the tent. "Ah, Esmeralda, we were speaking about you just a moment ago! Esmeralda, my Beauty, this is the Beast, Rose. Irony, meet Metaphor." (A/N Note: I hope you guys understood that; If not, read the end to understand.)

Something in Rose's dark brown eyes flashed and she snarled at the male. "Thank you for the introduction, big nose." She hissed, and then looked at me. I was tempted to take a step back and would have if Clopin's comforting arm wasn't around me. The way she glared at me, sizing me up and studying me…I shivered. For some reason or another, she reminded me of the Judge's glare, full of hatred and curiosity.

"Pleasure to meet you, Rose." I smiled shakily, trying to be as friendly as possible.

However, the girl rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, nice to meet you as well, I'm sure. Big beak said something about a bath?"

I grinned, glancing at my old friend whose eyes were narrowed. To stop a cat fight before it happened, I nodded, "Yes, come with me." The walk to the 'bath' was quiet and tense. I noticed she lacked the grace to walk as well as I…or perhaps she just was not used to walking in a dim passage.

Part of me was longing to ask her who she was precisely, if she had parents, where she lived, what she did for a job, what she liked, what she hated; the list went on! The annoyance outlining her smudged face made me think twice though. I made a mental note to ask Clopin how she exactly came into our hands.

We reached a dark green and blue tent at the end of a path. It would have looked like every other tent except for the water stains all over it. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing—yet. I opened the tent flap for her to step in and quickly grabbed a few things. There were three or four tubs that were either stolen or broken in there that we used. I had filled the tub with warm water before I came to get her, waiting until now to put some scent and soap into it. Immediately the smell of lavender filled the air.

It would seem that she calmed down some when she inhaled. I guess lavender really does calm people down. I placed a towel on a chair near by and started to leave. "I'll wait outside while you wash." I informed her, hinting slightly for her not to run off.

As I stepped outside and waited, my gaze went upon the ceiling. My thoughts circulated that handsome soldier, the blonde one…the captain. What was his name? Phoebus…

**Normal POV**

Rose looked around the tent, feeling her anxiety and anger start to boil ever so slightly. The tubs except for her own were burnt, chipped, or cracked. It was a miracle how they all held together! For some reason she pictured a bunch of colorfully dressed people trying to steal a tub and snickered. It looked so odd, the image that she saw.

Carefully, she undressed. Her eyes darted through the tent and, surprisingly, she saw no hints of a peephole. There were no rats, no bugs, no men or women. A soft smile came across her lips as she placed her clothes on the chair. As cautious as ever, for it would be just her luck to slip and slam her head underwater and drown naked, she grabbed the edges.

When she slid her body into the water, she sighed happily. The water was just below the term 'boiling hot'. It was very soothing, relaxing her muscles and her mind along with the lavender soap in it. She rest in there for a long few minutes, staring up at the ceiling of the tent.

It had been quite some time since she dreamt of Phoebus. Several years ago, she had been in an arranged marriage with him. It was merely for both families to grow richer. If Rose's family hadn't had that much money, no doubt Phoebus's parents would have taken him out and tried to find a prettier girl. However, when the rumors of her mother's death started to circulate, they pulled out of the agreement. It went to Hell from there…

She always found the man handsome but she didn't like the idea of marrying him. He came off as arrogant, the type of fighting man who knew he was good looking, and therefore he strutted around a lot. Plus, she didn't want to marry a man who could be killed in action.

That day she had been spying, on accident, on the Judge and the blond man…she shivered. She had gasped aloud when she heard the man's name and ended up getting caught. Frollo had walked over and towered over her, questioning why she was there. Luckily, she had been holding the scrubber in her hands and used that as an excuse.

Trying to rid herself of these thoughts, she dunked her head into the chilly water. It was an attempt to cleanse herself of all thoughts, both good and bad. She sighed heavily and slowly started to get out, not wanting to catch a cold in gypsy water.

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Next chapter: Clopin's POV of the girl; The discuss the Judge and her mother. Review please.

The whole "Irony meet Metaphor" means that Rose, who looks ugly despite her name, meets Esmeralda who is as beautiful as her name if not more.


	15. Chapter 15

Thanks very much to Opaque Opal for reviewing

**Thanks very much to**** Opaque Opal for reviewing! XD I'm glad you understood that…I was hoping someone would lol. By the way, have you been giving any thought to Small World? Moving on…**

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Clopin's POV

What a strange girl she was…Rose, not Esmeralda. The thing that surprised me the most was her name, both first and last. Rose…a name that was also shared with a beautiful crimson flower that symbolized romance, love, and sometimes lust. It was the complete opposite of her looks; her hair was like a mop that got struck by lightning once to many times, her eyes and her lips as well as her skin all dull…nothing memorable.  
However, it was her last name that made her memorable. Rousseau…Rose Rousseau, daughter of the gorgeous charming and stunning Mireille Rousseau. When people heard that name, Mireille's I mean, they instantly thought of beauty, of love, of lust. She was the modern-day goddess of Venus!

Who would have thought that it was even remotely possible for something so…so…ugly to come from something so perfect! Then again, maybe it was the husbands fault. Many people said that she could have done better but an arranged marriage was an arranged marriage. I don't think I'll ever understand that rich people stuff…wedding strangers off to keep money within the family. If anything, it sounded selfish.

Speaking of selfish, where was the little High and Mighty Princess?

It's been at least an hour or two…I know women take a long time but come on! This was starting to get ridiculous! I doubted that she could have escaped because Esmeralda was a very observant person who could fight as well as she could dance. So if she didn't escape, was she still soaking in the bath? Honestly…once spoiled, always spoiled.

Growing tired and impatient, I walked out of the tent. After all, the King shouldn't have to wait in ignorance. When I reached the bath tent, I saw her step out and look at Esmeralda, not saying anything. I smirked and watched. She looked irritated and confused…was it about being near a gypsy or having to get out? What was on her mind, I wondered…

Esmeralda had a calm expression etched onto her face but as soon as the Rose girl stepped in front of her, she smiled almost tauntingly. Hmm…I wondered what just happened. Sliding away and going back to my tent, I sat on a chest and decided to fix my puppet. I knew very well how to sew; just because I'm a King doesn't make me lazy.

It took a few minutes before I heard two sets of footfalls. What had been taking them so long to make a 30 second walk into a 5 minute walk? Sitting up on the chest I had inherited long ago, I watched as Rose stepped through the tent, Esmeralda behind her.

I've known Esmeralda for a good amount of time, since I was a late teenager and she was but a child. I've always known her to be patient, kind, and feisty when the situation called for it. She knew how to defend herself and she was smart, wise, and sly…cunning actually. This was why when I saw how she had annoyance written on her face, I knew something happened to make the 30 second walk into five minutes.

Stepping outside with a glance at Rose, I pulled Esmeralda away. Once we were at a distance that I was positive that was private, I whispered, "What happened? I've been waiting quite some time!"

She placed a strand of her rather fluffy hair behind her ear. Her bracelets that were made of Fool's Gold on her wrist jingled loudly as she placed her small hands on her hips. I resisted the urge to smirk; she was pouting! It's been months since I've seen that…

"I went to get her some new clothes but she threw a fit. She 'greatly insisted upon' wearing her normal ones, the ones that aren't gypsy like. She doesn't wish to get a disease! Clopin, I can't stand her!" Esmeralda hissed quite loudly.

Although I should have been insulted, and I was…a little bit, I had to bite back a smile. That sounded like her. "I'll take care of it, don't worry." When she left, I walked back into the tent where Rose simply sat there, looking at her shoes.

"…So Judge Frollo seems intent on finding us." I commented lightly. Just as I had predicted, I said what she said at the same time, "You have no right to say his name!"  
Rose frowned at me, glaring. I chuckled. "You talk about the Judge and I'll…hm…I'll…I'll let you roam around the place!"

"No thank you." She stated coldly. Her arms were crossed under what bosom she had and her eyes were narrowed at me.

I raised an eyebrow, "You'll be able to get away from me."

It didn't even take a full second for her to reconsider. "Fine…what do you want to know?"

"Hm…Does he know much about the Court of Miracles?"

"No…" She said calmly. "He wants to know the location but so far every hint and tip have proven to be fake." Pushing her damp hair back, she watched me.

I thought for a moment. "Hmm…I see…How many gypsies has he arrested?"

It was the wrong question to ask for a huge grin curled on her lips. "Over a hundred…and almost 75 percent have been executed."

Oh how I would have loved to smack that grin off her face. But I would not because I'm a gentleman…despite being a gypsy. I couldn't really do or say anything because she wasn't the one killing them, although I had no doubt in my mind that she would if she could. It was Frollo who was doing it…

"Can I walk now?"

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Next chapter: Rose starts to get treated a bit better than before by walking around and, by doing so, she studies the gypsy kids and thinks…is there really any difference between her and them? Review please!


	16. Chapter 16

Thanks very much to Opaque Opal, lifetime's

**Thanks very much to**** Opaque Opal, lifetime's.lost, & Miss-Monster-Kimono for reviewing!**

"_Can I walk now?"_

It was clear that the young Rose was anxious to get out of that tent. Despite it being particularly large for a King, as long as his Royal Highness was in it, Rose felt like it was small and cramped. She was never one to feel claustrophobic…until she came down here and met Clopin.

And why did she come down here? She slipped out of the tent and started to walk around. Why was she here right now, freshly bathed, wearing her tavern clothes, and walking the stoned path that was dimly lit with candles? Said candles were just about to go out, the wax on the floor and sliding down a foot before being dried still…like frozen in time.

It was all because of a stupid bet.

What was the bet anyway? Wasn't it that if she went and found the Court of Miracles that she would get some sort of money and have that man cross-dress? Yes, that sounded about right. That man would have to dress up in a dress at the tavern for a night.

Of course when she got into the graveyard and opened a grave, they threw her in it. It became obvious that they hadn't expected her to find the Court of Miracles; they were just going to lock her up in a tomb and leave, letting her die. It would seem they weren't so drunk after all to think that one through…

Her eyes raked the area as she walked without a destination.

The path of stone she walked on was chilly especially since they were underground. The candles offered little light but as she ventured further through the place, she was attracted to a brightly lit area. The cold air nipped at her skin but she ignored it, pushing away any discomfort to stay silent.

She looked at a couple of kids playing something. They were running around, laughing and screaming once in a while. It seemed that they were playing 'it'. They looked like the normal children from…well, from above ground. If it weren't for their bright colorful clothes that seemed not to match, they could easily be mistaken for the high class children, not gypsy kids.

Were they really that different? No matter what color you were, what your heritage is, what language you speak…weren't they all the same? They were all humans, this goes for everyone. The only difference that seemed to classify people as 'others' were their beliefs and actions.

Next chapter: Her thoughts about Clopin change when she sees him helping a child. Review please! Sorry for the short chapter but I won't be able to write for a few days so I thought I'd give y'all a quick gift lol.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks very much to**** Opaque Opal & lifetime's.lost for reviewing!**

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Rose rubbed her temples and gave a soft sigh. She needed to get back to the tent and rest. She hated going there! She needed to find a way to escape and soon…or else she's go insane. What she wanted right now, besides freedom of course, was some bread and a bed.

Did anyone miss her up there? Did her father in his rare sober moments realize his daughter wasn't there? Perhaps he thought she was at her job so he got drunk again. Did the maids at Frollo's palace notice how she wasn't there at work? Either they fired her or just forgot about her, picking up her share of the load. The boss at the Tavern she worked at…he probably hired a new girl that very same night.

Surely Judge Frollo noticed her missing! Surely he must have noticed another maid doing his laundry. The maid probably messed up or missed some robes in her fine-pressing. Plus, he had wanted to talk to her about her mother; surely he realized she hadn't been there lately. Then again, he was Judge…why care for a maid? Either he was too busy to notice or to care…or he noticed and just hired someone new.

She was replaceable. She knew that now. She was like one of those old plates; helpful yet there…if broken or gone, she could be replaced with something better, something newer! Should it hurt? Yes, it should have. Did it though? Not really. Which, in a nutshell, meant that she had become accustomed to such rough treatment. Pity.

As she retraced her steps from earlier, she noted the kids were gone. They probably went inside to help their precious mothers. For a moment, she felt a sting of envy. How come a gypsy child got to keep their mother despite them being thieves and whores of the streets? How come she didn't get to keep hers?

She hesitated when she saw a child trying to grab what looked like a teddy bear from a high tent. It was too tall for the small kid but easily reachable for an adult, a girl her size. Just as she stepped over to help the gypsy offspring, a man beat her to it. A purple glove grabbed the animal and handed it to the child, who laughed, thanked him, and bounced off.

It took her a moment to realize through the shadows the candles inflected upon the wall that it was none other than King Clopin! A small smile of accomplishment and smugness graced his rather handsome face as he watched the kid run off. He looked in deep thought as he placed his hands on his hips, probably remembering some sort of memory or other.

Was he really a bad guy? Not really…not to the children at least. And how could he be? He was the King of beggars (as if that was something to be proud of). He entertained youngsters in the market with puppets, he had to deal with them everyday…if he didn't like kids, he wouldn't perform.

So why wasn't he like that with adults?

Then again, she was wrong. She noted that he was kind, fair, and courageous…to the gypsies. For example, from what she noticed during her little observation, it was clear he either took care of Esmeralda who looked quite some younger than him or treated her like his own flesh. Either way, he was very kind to her.

He had been…somewhat kind to Rose too. It was she, the ugly girl, who had been cruel to him. And how could she not be? He was a heathen, is a heathen! He was holding her captive…yet he tried to be hospitable. How odd…

In that right kind of light…he looked like some sort of twisted version of a knight in shining armor. Feeling her cheeks heat up in shame, she averted her eyes and started to walk again. How could she think such a thing?! How stupid could she be?! No, she would not sin, she would rather…

"Princess, there you are!" She spun, thinking 'speak of the devil'. Clopin caught up to her. "I believe I need to speak to you alone…in the tent."

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Next chapter: To be honest, I can't remember if I told y'all how her mother really died so Clopin and Rose will briefly speak of that; then we switch over to the city of Paris! Review please!


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey everyone…my aunt Shelly just passed away on June 30. After many years of trying to have a kid, she finally had two; a girl age 5 and a boy age 2. Ironically she had to get a hysterectomy, I believe, and we **_**suspect **_**malpractice for she had septic shock right after. So I'm trying to deal with my own grief and help my uncle as much as possible with the kids.**

**Thanks to those who reviewed.**

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Rose stepped into the tent and felt the sudden need to lay on the pathetic excuse for a bed and sleep. In this hellhole underground, she had no way to see if it was morning or evening but either way, her body was tired. She wanted to rest but would never do such a thing when the gypsy king was near by and fully awake.

He strolled in a moment or two later, still possessing the annoying arrogant and smug air around him. Although his lips weren't curled into a mocking smile like they usually were, his eyes sparkled with amusement and, somehow, grimness. How he managed to hold two opposite emotions in one eye at the same time was far beyond Rose's ability to comprehend. Probably a gypsy thing…

"What happened to your mother?" He stated out of the blue.

Rose snorted softly and flopped down on the pile of blankets, "Such manners for a King of Filth."

"I tend to be blunt with wenches of a hypocrite." It was pretty obvious he meant Frollo, which sent her both into a raging fury and an embarrassed state. Restraining herself, for she knew the guards near by would be on her like flies as soon as their 'King' hit the ground, she inhaled slowly. Now was not the time to get angry. When he was hanging, yes, but not now.

"My mother saw the King of Gypsies, you, stealing something. From what father told me, she told the guards and you were nearly arrested…but your assistant that night was. That gypsy was hung the next day. The next night…The next night, I was with her. We were walking around the place so I would get tired and sleep easier in the heat. It was always so hot and I never sleep well when it's like that.

"She…saw a carriage coming and shoved me behind her; I stumbled into an alley near by and fell. I watched her get run over as the carriage came off the road…I heard laughter. I knew it was you and your kind." Rose spat at his feet.

Clopin watched her closely. Is that what made her so horrible? Is that what made her so bitter? He felt pity for her. "I pity to because you're so upset over a lie. Let me tell you what really happened."

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Next chapter: Real truth of her mother's death; Clopin's version. Review please!

Once more, Im so sorry for the extremely short chapter but I felt like updating and…yeah. Sorry.


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks to Opaque Opal & Miss-Monster-Kimono for reviewing!**

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_Let me tell you what really happened."_

Without the mask, Clopin's features were covered in pity and kind concern. This startled the ugly girl for she expected him to laugh at the memory of vengeance, to snort or roll his eyes. Anything besides holding that gentle glitter in his eyes!

His voice was low and soft as though speaking out loud would break a fragile Rose. As if speaking in a normal tone would make the flower wilt. Once more, the girl was surprised and startled by how he sounded. Kindness and, dare she even assume, _caring _laced his tone.

"What really happened?" Rose repeated, dumbstruck. Outraged suddenly, she sneered, "I know what really happened you joker of a King! You can't fool me!" Standing up as if about to walk off, Clopin grabbed her wrist as she tried to walk by and gently forced her to sit down.

"Stay still and listen." He commanded her with the same caring tone outlined with annoyance. "You will believe it because it's the truth, Princess."

"Stop calling me that!"

Ignoring her hiss like command, he took a deep breath and sat back slightly to get more comfortable. Where to begin in the tale of sorrow? It didn't really matter where for anywhere in the story was it full of depression. "The first part was right; one night your mother caught I and my friend stealing. However, she didn't go to any guard nor did she try to stop us. That fireball of beauty questioned why we were doing it and demanded we told the truth for she would know if we didn't." He chuckled softly at the memory of her storming over and declaring such a thing.

"I told her we were stealing clothes because there were two new infants growing in our Court and we hadn't the money to get any covers yet. Her eyes softened before her voice did and reluctantly she admitted that we were telling the truth. A few guards were coming by in their nightly rounds and she told me that only for the sake of the infants would she help…she ran over and caused a distraction, making up some convincing lie that a man stole her ring." Clopin shook his head, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"I'll never forget how she came back giggling, saying it was so fun to see the guards run like idiots. The next few nights passed without a sound. I had insisted that I and my new friend, since my other assistant was caught and hung thanks to your precious judge, were out stealing food. We jumped onto a carriage having been discovered, and…we were followed." He rubbed his temples, the grief and regret setting into his face.

"I saw Mireille on the side of the street…how could anyone miss a diamond sparkling in the dumps of Paris? I swerved my carriage away from her, knowing she would either get harmed if involved or insist on trying to help…I saw her push something back but I didn't know it was you, Rose." That was the first time he called her by her name.

"My assistant cried something out and when I looked back, I saw the carriage that was chasing us slam into the sidewalk…running your mother over. The carriage was covered in gold like ours so of course you'd assume it was I who did such a horrible thing. However, it was Judge Frollo who was in the other carriage that night, wanting to get me by all costs."

He stopped for the moment, looking over to her. She just sat there, staring in silence, taking it all in. "Liar!" She suddenly shouted and jumped up.

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Next chapter: Rose's thoughts and…well, I'll give you a sneak peak; she attacks Clopin XD Review please!


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks to all of those who reviewed. I've been busy and sort of lazy lately…hence the slow updates. Plus today as I write this chapter, my body feels very sluggish and tired from the lack of sleep.**

**You see…around 2 AM last night, I was listening to my music that my computer was playing…and suddenly my monitor screen died but the light said it was on…but I couldn't turn the light off because it just wouldn't let me! Then I turned on the TV so it wasn't that dark (I live in the country so it's extremely pitch black here) and then the TV froze, restarted, and froze again…so I decided to put on my iPod so I could have some noise on to sleep…it restarted on me just when I turned it on! **

**So, a little creeped out by all that, I stayed up replacing my monitor so I could write.**

**Enjoy!**

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How could her mother be killed by someone other than a gypsy? How could her mother have helped the vermin? How could she have died just because of some bastard's determination to get her?

It couldn't have been Judge Claude Frollo who rode in that carriage. It just couldn't have been! At times, yes, he was cold and strict and even bitter. Yet he was only this way because of his job; he had to be cold, strict, and bitter to punish the people who have sinned and done wrong. If he wasn't, he would have died long ago from the pity those poor criminals get, he would have thought himself to death of wondering why they sinned.

Yet that did not mean he would kill an innocent bystander just to get his man.

Did it?

Heavens no!

Roes refused to believe that 1. the Judge who she looked up to and worshipped almost as well as she did God killed her mother and 2. that her mother, the beautiful Mireille, helped gypsies! The very thought of it made her stomach churn in both fear, rage, and utter disgust!

Without even realizing it, her limbs had began to shake but not with realization or sorrow like the King of Beggars thought…but with anger. Pure unadulterated fury that was the perfect definition of one of the seven sins. Yet did she care? No! This man, this monster, this piece of filth before her dare defile her mother's name, the only thing she had left, and expected the ugly flesh of said woman to believe it!

"Princess?" Clopin's voice broke through her thoughts. It was then that Rose acknowledged that she had been gnashing her teeth together.

The man wore the same look of concern and worry on his face as he did earlier. There was no hint of smugness, pride, amusement or any other emotion he usually wore pinned to his shirt. What did this mean? Either he was being real…or he was a very good actor.

And once more, he was the King of Beggars. He was supposed to be able to portray several emotions and make them seem real. If he didn't, then he wouldn't get money on the streets for faking some illness or whatnot. He would be dead if he couldn't put on a performance that was very realistic.

"Stop calling me that!" Rose's voice raised so many notches that it was considered a shout more than a calm command. "I'm sick of you calling me a name just because I live above ground and because I know what manners are!"  
"But that is what you do to me; you assume I am 'filth' because I live underground and steal." Clopin replied smoothly; he seemed to be calmer than her, trying to keep a balance of emotions here.

"Because you live in filth and are it, you sinful monster! How dare you taint my mother's name with your horrible lies!" In a swift motion, not even realizing she was doing it, she was in the air. In moments as if in slow motion, she had tackled him onto the ground and landed with a loud grunt. No, the grunt wasn't from her, it was from him!

His elbow had slammed into the chest near by and from the sound of fabric tearing, skin had too. Clopin felt the thin streams of blood travel down his arm without even seeing them, they were free from his body, free to roam on his skin and stain it. He grimaced at that but his attention was forced elsewhere when he felt fists plummeting his face.

Suddenly hands wrapped around Rose's arms, yanking her up with great difficulty. While she kicked and tries to escape from the restraints, her foot connected with Clopin's rather large nose. A sickening crack was heard but Rose only smiled smugly, feeling accomplished at how she broke his nose.

"Enough!" Clopin's voice sounded muffled, different since he couldn't breathe through his nose. "Make sure she stays here while I get cleaned up!"

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Next chapter: As Clopin attends to some minor wounds, Esmeralda sneaks into the tent and tries to talk to Rose. Review please!


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanks to Twin2-beta, Miss-Monster-Kimono, & Opaque Opal for reviewing! I've had such writers block with this story but I think most of it is gone! Yay! Well…actually, I managed to write something short because I'm busy as hell with school starting up again. Sorry you guys…next will be longer!**

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When Clopin stomped out of the tent, the two men who had violently yanked Rose away from her target hesitated. They waited a few moments before letting her go and walked outside, no doubt to keep watch away from her. Was she truly that ugly?

Ignoring that question, she let out a frustrated growl and sat down, fuming silently. How could he do such a thing? How could he lie?! How dare he disgrace her mother! Hitting the chest she sat on, which was the one Clopin cut himself of, she looked at the corner. Unable to help a smile, she noted there was a piece of cloth there from his shirt, snagged on there; part of her expected to see skin there.

How pleasing that would have been if there was skin attached to the edge!

Looking down at her hands, she felt a little light headed to see blood staining her flesh. It made her stomach churn, slightly queasy at such a site. Blood, Clopin's blood probably from his nose to be precise, rest on her hand, eating it like a virus.

Sighing, she silently wished she was able to clean it off but knew there was no way. There was no source of water in this tent so she would have to deal with it and try to pick it off once it dried. The very thought made her shudder and resist the urge to puke. Blood was never her style, even if it was from a lying thieving piece of worthless scum!

Rubbing most of it off on the ends of her skirt, she looked around briefly. Nothing to do, nothing to…well, do. She sighed, feeling herself slowly calm down, and looked down. Placing her stained hands over her face, she drove herself into the past, thinking of the happy memories which were no more.

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Esmeralda walked over to a cursing King of Gypsies. There was a small smile playing on her lips as she strolled over, having rarely seen him in such a frenzy. Unable to resist taunting, she asked, "Run into the church doors while screaming 'sanctuary'?"

The man looked over at her, looking a little calmer since she was something of a sister to him. Still, his dark eyes gleamed with annoyance and pain. "Har, har, har; be silent. The little princess in there decided to attack me for telling her the truth of her mother's death."

"…She beat you up?"

There was a long moment of silence.

"…Esmeralda, be silent." He looked away, obviously embarrassed about it.

Resisting the urge to laugh at how shy he sudden sounded, she looked around. Perhaps she could talk some sense into the girl before she did something stupid that would harm not only Clopin but her as well. "I'll return in a minute."

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Next chapter: Esmeralda talks to Rose about her mother, Clopin, living down there. Review please!


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks to Opaque Opal for being the ONLY one who reviewed!**

**It's been a while! School, although it hasn't been as overbearing as it was last year, has drained me of energy. I've been able to write but it takes a few days…which is really sad for me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

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When Esmeralda entered the tent that showed off the colors of the King, she noticed it was quiet. One would assume that the girl, Rose, would be pacing about mumbling to herself. Who wouldn't? She had just found out the truth of her mother but she refused to accept it; it would make sense for her to be debating.

There was no way she could have escaped. There were two guards at the entrance and the tent was basically pinned down. Still, even if she miraculously slid out of the side, able to fit her chubby body through it, there was still no way to leave. There were two or three guards at the entrance of the catacombs and several skeleton men through the tunnel.

Taking advantage of the silence, she let her jade eyes wonder through the tent. The chest was scraped with blood and some clothing which would mean the King would need someone to sew up his outfit soon. The blankets that made a bed were scattered around the place as though someone kicked them or slid on them. There was a small chair overturned…behind it was a human though.

The person behind it was hunched over, hugging her legs it looked like, her forehead resting against her knees. Immediately Esmeralda remembered a time when she was like that. She had just turned eight and was lost on the surface, unable to find her family members. She did what any frightened girl would do; curl up in a ball and cry. Clopin had found her though…he always found her.

Rose sensed someone near at last. Having been so deeply wrapped up in her thoughts and memories, the memories of the past where she smiled and was held by her mother, she was oblivious. It hurt like a sword wound to the heart to pull herself from such peaceful times and back into reality, remembering what happened.

Her head snapped around, her frizzy hair flying along. Once her dull colored eyes landed on the person behind her, she sorely wished they hadn't. There stood a beautiful creature, a woman whose beauty compared to a goddess's. She looked down at Rose with such pity and curiosity in her eyes that it made her feel…stupid. Rose didn't want her pity! She didn't want anyone's pity! Simply by being here, Esmeralda was adding insult to injury, figuratively speaking of course.

Gulping down the tears that had threatened to spill oh so long ago, she stood up. "What do you want?" Her voice was sharp and crisp, hinting annoyance and even hatred. Then again, every female hated Esmeralda even a little. Little girls loved her, hoping to look as beautiful as her one day. Then when they grew, they joined the other women hating her, even with a small sliver of their heart, with jealousy. Why couldn't they look like that?

Feeling like she had been snapped at by a whip, Esmeralda frowned. The young gypsy knew very well how angry Rose was but refused to be the target of such a thing. "The rose has thorns." She observed with her hands on her hips.

As though this had snapped her out of her anger filled hypnotic mood, she looked away. In a softer tone, something similar to defeat which was ironic since her eyes, dull as they may be, showed strength, she spoke. "What do you want, girl?"

Well, that was better than the sharp tone. Esmeralda sat down across from her on the chest that injured Clopin. Oh how much fun she will have teasing him later! Getting down to business, the dark haired woman watched Rose for a moment. "So Clopin told you about your mother?"

"Depends if you saw how hurt he is." She muttered bitterly.

Trying not to smile, she nodded. "I did...I expected it would take a while to get the idea to sink. Whether you like it or not Rose, your mother was killed by Frollo's carriage. She helped us." Before Rose could snarl and snap at her, she pressed on, "I wouldn't be here telling you this if it wasn't true. I never knew my mother, not really at least. If someone were to start lying about her though, I'd be like you."

Rose snorted, her eyes making up for the sharpness she could not speak. "Is this going to be some sort of stupid speech about how we're similar? Because we aren't; you're a gypsy and I'm normal."

The gypsy shook her head, annoyed but not showing it. Instead, she switched topics. "So what do you think of Clopin?"

Startled, and not bothering to hide it, she raised an eyebrow. What about Clopin? What did she _think _of him? Was this gypsy sinful _and _stupid? Even a monkey could see! Her first impulse was to snap at her but quickly refrained from it. Instead, she answered, "He's an arrogant cunning little monster who needs to have his large nose punched in."

"That's the way you really feel about me, do you?" A male's voice came out from the entrance, making her tense briefly. Oh joy; Clopin's back.

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Next chapter: Clopin & Rose talk; she gets to go to the surface. Review please!


	23. Chapter 23

**Thanks to Opaque Opal, ****Fire Kunai**** and Miss-Monster-Kimono for reviewing!**

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"_That's the way you really feel about me, do you?" A male's voice came out from the entrance, making her tense briefly. Oh joy; Clopin's back. _

Rose's head spun around so quick that it would have flown off had it not been attached to her neck. Her dreary eyes landed on the man but held no spark of fear or regret in speaking her mind. Instead, she smirked. "Yes, that is _exactly_ how I feel about you." When stressing the word 'exactly' she crossed her arms under her bosom.

Esmeralda felt like she was now invading what should be a private war of words. She felt as though she didn't belong and was filled with the immediate desire to slink out of the tent as quickly and silently as possible. Instead, since her old friend was blocking the entrance and exit, she remained on the chest, looking between them.

The King of Beggars watched Rose for the longest of times, or at least that was how it felt. His dark almost coal like eyes traveled over her body but for the girl, it felt like he was staring at her soul. Never had she felt so…so…naked. It took all her strength to keep still and keep her eyes trained on his, daring him to meet her gaze.

Her mother once told her that it was easy to stare a person down. Although a lady should never glare at a man or even meet his gaze, if she ever was challenged to a contest of staring or otherwise with another girl, she had to remember one thing. Keep your eyes on the subject but your mind elsewhere. It worked every time; Rose recalled eyeing a girl who had taunted her when her mother first died…and the girl, roughly two years older than her, broke eye contact.

However, Clopin did not meet her stare. Instead, he let both his mind and eyes wonder. This girl…no, this _young girl _seemed to be past her age. By appearance, she was nothing more than an ugly wench who needed to get some sense beaten into her and some attitude beaten out. On the inside though, how she held herself, how she acted, how she defended her blood…she was surpassed most her own age.

Yes, it was natural for a girl to react to such news like she did, Clopin mused to himself, but this was enough. His people, his friends, his subjects were bound to see his face after this! He was bruised and scraped, thanks to the lovely chest that Esmeralda sat on. It would a fact that was no doubt going through all their minds; his ego would be bruised and battered, more so than flesh.

Something had to be done about Rose.

"Is this what happens to a well-bred girl? After such tragic loss, which holds truth to the facts that she will not face, she becomes a barbarian?" The man questioned, waiting for her to react. When she did not take the bait, he continued, "Even our gypsy children are more behaved than you. They know how to hit a man, they know that very well."

When he paused to wait for her reaction, she allowed herself to take the bait. "No, _this_ is what happens when a piece of filth that rules over scum tells a well-bred girl that her mother helped your subjects!" Her voice, both gypsies noticed, was not as sharp and full of rage like it had been before. Perhaps, they dared to hope, that this was a sign that she was beginning to slowly accept the truth.

"The truth is that your mother was a great help and even a hero to us 'scum'! Whether you like to admit it or not, the fact remains that she was killed by Frollo's carriage; she was killed by someone else other than my people!" While the man's tone was razor-sharp, his expression remained one of the tranquil looks, a calm relaxed one. It was as though he was discussing the weather.

Normally this would have infuriated the girl even more. However…for some reason, she remained cool but with a hot tongue. "There is a vast difference between truth seen through gypsies' eyes and one of noble blood lines' eyes."

An idea struck Esmeralda like a bolt of lightning hit metal. She shot up so quick that both gypsy male and noble female had to snap their heads over, half expecting to see fire behind her. With a large grin attached to her dark face, making her look radiant enough to drive jealousy into Rose's heart, she walked to Clopin.

She whispered something, her light voice sounding like someone tip toeing on a bunch of harps. When she pulled away, the surprise in the man's face hinted that she had told him something that never once occurred to him. There was a look of satisfaction that seemed almost smug on the woman's face, which made Rose wonder if what she told Clopin was brilliant.

The King looked at Esmeralda as though seeing her for the first time, realizing that she was a human being and not a ghost who had idly watched their debate moments ago. At the pace of a snail traveling, his lips eventually curled into a large smile. Normally this would have sent chills down Rose's spine but this time..she felt nothing but warmth and longing. What did she long though? This thought, this feeling itself, made her tremble in fear.

"I've got it!" Clopin declared in such a way that it reminded the ugly young lady of a memory. She recalled her mother telling her a story about how a man realized something as soon as he got into a tub of water. What he had remembered did not stick to Rose's mind so much as what he did next. In such excitement, he got out and ran down the street screaming, "Eureka, I found it!" Why was this so important and funny that it stuck to mind? Well…he was naked when he did it.

"You mean that _I_ helped you get it." The gypsy who resembled a goddess insisted, determined to get some credit for this.

The man nodded and waved it off as though she were an annoying fly. "Yes, yes…Princess, I have an offer to present you!" His voice was so theatrical that she half expected to see an audience near by, clapping.

"That would be?" She spoke dryly, uninterested. Of course, Clopin reassured himself, that would change once he spoke.

Leaning forward while ignoring the bruise and ache he got, he said, "I'll accompany you to the surface for a day so that you can see our view is not so different from yours."

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Next chapter: The trip to the surface leads Rose into temptation to break her promise not to run; where does she run? She runs and tumbles into a world of agonizing trouble. Review please!


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks to Opaque Opal, ****Fire Kunai**** and Miss-Monster-Kimono for reviewing!**

**This chapter would have been longer but I had a family problem so I'll be spending ALL weekend trying to fix it…so I decided to post this tonight as it was and hope it satisfied my readers.**

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Leaning forward while ignoring the bruise and ache he got, he said, "I'll accompany you to the surface for a day so that you can see our view is not so different from yours."

Rose felt as though the very breath of Old Man Winter had entered her lungs, icing them over to be useless. Her eyes slowly inched wider, showing just how stunned she was. The information, the very sentence the King of Gypsies uttered just now, took its sweet time to sink into her mind.

The surface? Such thoughts certainly had never left her head but they were not, especially as of lately, her top priority. In fact, although she knew she had to escape soon, she focused on surviving instead. True she had been curious to find out about her mother's death, which she semi-regretted to find out, so she pondered this. She tried to figure out the best way to gain this clown's trust although she despised being overly nice to him…even being nice to him was a strain!

But a trip to the surface…wow! This was…a miracle! So many times she had prayed to God for help, for some way out of this copycat Hell and back to the ground level. She longed to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin though she hated the heat. She had the overwhelming desire to roam the market, smell the sweet aromas, see the beautiful things she couldn't afford, and listen to the children laugh as the vendors shouted even if her unattractiveness offended them.

Not only would she be able to do all of this, she might be able to run away. They had nothing to hold against her, nothing to hold hostage. It would look mighty odd if they tied rope to her so this meant she would be able to run. She could travel to the Judge's Palace and beg him for help.

As if sensing her thoughts, Clopin spoke up, "There is one condition though, girl. I know you are very anxious to get up there with your kind." There was a hint of amusement in his eyes as though mocking and taunting her about different social classes. "But you have to swear to me that you won't try to run off. I'm trusting you and risking a lot just by taking you there, to show you I speak the truth."

If that wasn't a bucket of cold ice water over her, she didn't know what was.

Such excitement was killed instantly. Her eyes darkened with no hesitation of time, showing how much he had ruined her joyous thoughts. Her lips, which unknowingly had turned into a smile, became a frown of annoyance and sadness once more.

"Alright, fine." Rose nearly spat her response. "I promise."

"Promise on your mother's maiden name." He insisted, obviously trying everything to ensure that she would not stray. It was a risky move but more on his side than the girl's.

Her eyes narrowed at the man, sizing him up, thinking this through. It logic, there was no way she could slip through this verbal contract. With a soft sigh, she nodded. "I promise on my mother's maiden name."

"Good, let's go."

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The sky was full of clouds both puffy and skinny. Some took the shape of flowers, trees, horses, and cats. Others simply looked thin like the lines on an aged woman. It was a way to amuse oneself especially when walking from the graveyard into town.

When the clouds didn't cover all, hints of baby blue, orange, and pinkish red leaked out of its prison. The sun was going down and quickly. Rose knew that if she needed to memorize every twist and turn of the path before dark, she would have to stop gaping and focus.

Still, the wind taunted and teased her. It brushed against the skin that wasn't covered by her clothing. It was a gentle lick actually, a soft caressing breeze that made her smile. Her hair shivered from it but didn't make a dramatic pose to make her look 'stunning'. Her nostrils inhaled the almost sweet scent of grass and flowers from nearby graves and yards.

Oh she had missed the outside world!

"Stay close." The man's voice had snapped her from her thoughts, reminding her that she was still near him. Glancing at him, she neither nodded nor did she shake her head. Instead, she did as was told and stayed near him…but remained about a foot away.

They walked out of the cemetery, roaming on the road now. No horses and carriages were out and about at this time of evening, not in this part of town at least. Rose suspected that once they saw a few that meant they were near the Palace of Justice, in the 'rich side' of Paris.

The crickets were heard making their beautiful yet semi-annoying music. The little creatures such as cats and dogs scurried around, chasing one another in hope to either attack the other or hide. There were few birds chirping, saying good night to those who were still awake.

Rose suddenly thought of an idea. There was indeed a way to slip away from her verbal contract. With a grin, she paced herself behind Clopin although she was anxious and impatient. When they arrived in the town square, she looked around.

The markets and carts were closed and hauled off. The pretty silks and clothes were no longer there, darkness eating at the places where they had once stood. The scents of heavenly food were replaced with the evening air, a bittersweet smell.

As Clopin seemed to be glancing around for an example, probably, to show Rose was not that different, she smiled. Her hands pressed against his back, shoving him into a wall. Without hesitation, she took off down the road and turned into an alley.

"You swore on your mother's maiden name!" Clopin roared with rage and shock.

Too bad Rose never knew her mother's maiden name.

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Next chapter: Alone in an alley with drunken horny men, who will save her? The result may be surprising…then again it may not be. Review please!


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks to Opaque Opal, ****Fire Kunai****, ****masumi5****, and ****Eliyanne Scroft**** for reviewing!**

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Her lungs felt like they were being fed helium instead of oxygen. They grew and grew, aching horribly. With every breath she took, they worked with difficulty which caused pain to shoot through her body, forcing her to breathe even more. It was ironic, in a sad way.

The chilly Paris air made her hair look messy and, quite frankly, horrible. With each step she took, the wind found a new place to tease her at. Her clothes became lop sided and ready to slide off, which was shocking since she wasn't exactly a twig. Her feet ached and stung with each step she took, slamming into the stone road. The sound echoed loudly, her wheezing gasps being drowned out.

How did Clopin not catch up yet? True she had had the element of surprise on her side, but he was quicker than her. Plus, he did not wear a corset. Her legs grew weary and soon came to a stop, their muscles pounding with agony, the bones feeling like jell-o. Her heart was racing, attempting to jump out through her rib cage and her skin. Her lungs which felt like balloons turned to ice as she breathe deep the chilled air.

Hugging herself, she leaned against the alley wall and grimaced; it was freezing. Opening her eyes, surprised that she even closed them, she looked up at the sky. There were too many lights on to see the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of stars tonight. Rubbing her hands together, she tried to breathe warm air on them.

However, thanks to the condition of her lungs, she only coughed. With each cough she choked out, it felt like a knife was stabbing her. It felt like an icicle was stuck in her lungs, simply resting there with every inhale she had to take. Her skin was turning blue, she could feel it.

At long last, she finally coughed out what felt like a mace. Her numb hand was on her throat, rubbing it lightly so that she could breathe easier. Feeling exhausted, she closed her eyes briefly and felt ready to pass out. Where was she anyway?

When she looked up, feeling slightly better, she found no answer. There was a street lamp but it was in the distance, the candle within it only offering light for a few feet away. If there was a street sign, there was no way she would see it since she rest in an alley.

The light was dim but it was enough to show outlining of objects in the alley. She noticed that if she looked out the exit/entrance, she could see almost anything. Dare she stay in this dark place for fear that Clopin would find her?

Something was behind her though. It took her long enough to sense it considering all she hacked up but now she felt tense. With great reluctance, she looked behind her. Her heart skipped a beat from the fear and shock; three men stumbled closer, looking drunk and with knives, and not just the metal ones in their hands.

They let out a low chuckle, whispering to one another. The wind was low and weak but still strong enough to drown out their words. Bits and pieces of their sentences did enter the air though, lingering before destroyed and turned into dust by the wind. They were scary words like 'force', 'hold down', 'girlie girl', and 'turns'. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening.

When she meant to turn and run, she felt fingers wrap around her upper arm. They were thick and chubby, their grip like iron. Screaming briefly, she turned and tried to kick them without getting hit by the knife. Another pair of fingers grabbed her.

It felt like it was happening to someone else. She was brought against the wall, slammed into it with no care, her vision blurring. She heard the sound of fabric, not her own but theirs, move.

Suddenly there was a loud neigh from a horse, from a beautiful creature. The three men looked over to the entrance and ran, cowering. She fought the urge to slide down the wall, looking up. The candle lamp nearby allowing her to see the horse was as black as the night.

On the horse was a rider of familiarity.

Off slid Judge Claude Frollo, walking over to her in a hurry. She whispered his name, grateful to see him. She grabbed his outstretched arms and fainted into them, the pain of the cold weather disappearing.

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Next chapter: She's with Frollo…so when she awakens in his palace, she has a story to be told. Review please!


	26. Chapter 26

**Thanks to Opaque Opal, Silverskugga, and ****Eliyanne Scroft**** for reviewing!**

**I am sorely tempted, after poking around the Fandom, to write another Frollo romance story. Maybe Frollo/Esmeralda or maybe another Frollo/OC...though it'd be difficult. If I come up with an idea, I'll probably make it a one shot between Frollo and Esmeralda…**

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Such a beautiful dream.

A beautiful dream usually consisted of ponies, candy, bright colors, and laughter. Not for Rose; her definition of a beautiful dream was something far different. A beautiful dream was merely a false image of a perfect home.

She would enter her house and find it clean and not falling apart. There would be a fire roaring in the fireplace, her two parents both sober and alive sitting near it talking. She would walk over and hug them then grab a glass of warm wine. This was the part that made it perfect; when she looked in the reflection of the liquid, she saw herself truly the daughter of her mother, stunningly gorgeous.

And then she would take a drink but when she looked at the shallow liquid again, she saw two men on both sides of her, staring down. There was Clopin to the left and Frollo to her right, both wearing a scowl like scorn. Yet they were not looking at each other when they scowled, which made it all confusing; they were staring at her. It was like she had to make a choice…but what kind of choice?

Then her beauty would start to fade and when she looked up from the glass, she saw bones in the chair her mother and father sat, the fire barely a flickering piece of coal struggling for its life. Everything started to fall apart. Pieces of the roof began to fall onto the floor, threatening to hit her…

And then she awoke.

Although there was a dim light on the ceiling above her, she almost thought she was still at that same old house. Yet this time, the roof was not falling apart. There was warmth in this room; there was softness in the bed under her. She certainly wasn't anywhere near her home, so where was she?

The ceiling was made of stone and she was utterly grateful it was not falling. Turning her head made her realize three things. One, there was a very soft pillow under her head that was probably stuffed with cotton. Two, there was a fire a few feet away that, although it was not enraged and standing at a height of six feet tall, it certainly spread warmth easily. And three, there was a very expensive chair near the fireplace with nobody in it.

With the slowness of an elderly person, she pushed herself up to her elbows and looked closely. Thanks to the light of the flame, she could see a faint indention to the chair; who had been sitting there and when did they leave? It had to have been earlier so the better question was _why _did they leave?

Her body was no longer numb and it seemed to have thawed out from the cold weather long ago. In amazement, she inhaled deeply just to be sure there were no knife like sensations in her lungs or chest again. When she had inhaled though, she also started to notice the scent of fresh air. Looking around, she saw the window cracked open an inch to probably make sure it wouldn't get too warm.

With the hot air leaving at a slow pace and the cold air entering just as quick, the scent of Paris came in with it. It was still night, perhaps early in the morning…but very faintly there was the aroma of bread already rising much before the rest of Paris was. There was a hint of flowers but Rose was unsure of where it could be coming from; this room, this building, or the florist picking them.

Her body ached from all the running she did earlier. It was mostly her legs that screamed in protest and agony when she swung them out of the bed to stand. When she did stand and when the fire light licked her, she felt her cheeks warm up but not from the heat.

She was no longer in the clothes she wore when she escaped the Court of Miracles. Instead, she was wearing what looked to be like a dress for a maiden two sizes too small. Who had changed her?

Almost parallel with perfect timing, she heard the heavy door swing open. The person froze in step, perhaps even froze in mid-swing of shutting the door closed, when they saw her. Their gaze felt as heavy as lead on her…was it because of the tight dress that made them gape? Or was it the fact that she was up?

"Good morning Rose." The voice was so rich with power and deep with authority that it took only half a second to realize who it was. "I see you've awakened."

All but spinning around, she curtseyed. "Judge Frollo, good morning." Her legs gave out just as she bowed, forcing her to grab the bed to keep from slamming into the ground. "What am I doing here, sir?"

"You don't remember?" His question was slowly asked, a given sign of suspicion. He closed the door and walked over, helping her to sit on the bed as he turned the chair around. Once he sat down, he answered, "I heard a loud commotion and I found you. In the ally, there were several drunken men who were attempting to…take advantage of your state. I arrested them and brought you here."

Rose stared for a long moment until he spoke up again. "Rose, it is very rude to gape like a fish when you yourself are a young lady."

Feeling her face go ablaze once more, she shifted her gaze away. "Forgive me, sir. I am just…stunned. I can't believe I'm here again, I can't believe this is all real!" Her sentence came out far quicker than she intended, making her sound close to fainting or crying which she knew the Judge would not like.

"You have not been arriving for work for a week now, child." He spoke just as fast, hoping to change the subject before she bawled. "Where have you been?"

Rose almost started to stare at the man again. Had it truly been a week? Was it possible that she had survived a whole week underground with the gypsies and their King of Arrogance? It felt…shorter. It felt like only a few days, four tops. Staying underground really did mess her up.

When she had the nerve to speak again, she held onto it desperately as though it were life itself. "I was…tricked." That was the best way to explain it. It was like a prologue of sorts. "After I left here, sir, I went to my second job at the tavern." She blinked and paused as though recalling something. "Sir, who changed me?"

"One of your coworkers." He replied curtly, hoping she hadn't thought he had. "That dress you wore was filthy…So I had them switch it with whatever they could find." His eyes lingered on what seemed to be her breasts, making her tense. What…was he thinking? What was going through his mind? What was he feeling at this moment?

"Oh, thank you then sir." She mumbled half heartedly. After drawing in a long breath as to not pop the dress open, tight as it was, she spoke again. "I went to the tavern and there were two or three men who placed a wager with me. He would give me a load of money if I found the Court of Miracles, which he hinted was near the graveyard. Plus I had told him if I won, he'd wear a dress around the tavern for a day.

"Well, I went to the graveyard…looking back on it now," she was musing out loud to herself, "I don't think he really knew where it could be, he was just playing a prank on me. Ironic as it was, I opened a grave and they shoved me in, closing the top. Instead of meeting a dead body and joining it several days later, I fell down a staircase.

"I was captured by the gypsies, sir. They kept me in the King's tent, in Clopin's tent, for a week. Finally he offered…he told me I could walk outside if I swore…Let me tell my story…all of it." She paused, having about to skip over the very thing that encouraged Clopin to take her outside.

"He told me he knew how my mother died. It was neither him nor his minions who rode the carriage that ran her over." This time, Rose looked up at Frollo. She noticed his eyes were shining…what was he thinking? "He told me he was driving one, yes, but the one following him was one of your men, sir. He told me my mother…_helped _the gypsies! She had been on the side of the road, trying to help, but when she tried to hide, your men in your carriage, in one of them, ran her over."

Indeed his eyes shined brightly like the stars outside! There was an emotion she couldn't quite place but she knew, as she risked staring into those coal like holes, that the gears were turning. His mind was hatching a plan. Yet what of?

"I told him I didn't believe him and…I broke his nose." Frollo smirked at this part. "He said he would let me roam the ground above to see how similar we are to those vermin. He made me swear on my mother's maiden name that I would not run…alas, sir, I do not know her maiden name."

His smirk soon grew into a large smile. He had a plan alright, she was sure of it. Suddenly, what he did next scared her. He stood up from the comfy chair, knelt on one knee to her, and asked, "Rose…I can protect you from those heathens. Will you marry me?"

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Next chapter: What is he planning? What will Rose say? And what will he say when se asks him about her mother's death, the truth of it? Then we see what he does now that he knows where the CoM is at! Review please!


	27. Chapter 27

**Thanks to ****big-grits49****, ****SilverSkugga****, Opaque Opal, ****Fire Kunai****, ****Ereana****, and phe4288 for reviewing!**

**I'm on Christmas break at long last and can manage to update. Hopefully I can finish this story…hopefully. Plus I'm working on writing my own story so…yeah.**

**Plus I'm dealing with some social issues which, sadly, probably won't go away until school ends. Just one more reason for me to be itching to end this school year. Ugh…anyway, onward with the story…**

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"Rose…I can protect you from those heathens. Will you marry me?"

Her mouth dropped.

Unlady like and impolite, yes, but it was the only thing she could do. Her wits and common sense scattered about the place like a handful of marbles kicked. Her ability to think, in short, was shot like an elder's memory as time passed.

She knew very well a few minutes earlier that he was scheming. From the very first moment she awoke to find herself in clothes that weren't soaked in water, mud, drink, or just the plain scent of vermin, she knew something was up. Such fine clothing put on a lousy ugly girl such as herself? It had to be a plan, she told herself.

Frollo could have easily just put a gown on her, a simple servant outfit even. She recalled the outfit she had to wear to work at the bar which, of course, was trashed. At least, she hoped it was trashed. It was filthy from the gypsies she had to stay with; she didn't want it back no matter how many washes it went through.

Instead he had her fellow co-workers, those that worked with her that helped clean the palace, give her fine cloth. A silk skirt with a beautiful corset hidden cotton top, a nightgown of sorts that, apparently, turned into an evening gown. He did that for a reason. Why?

Well, she had no idea until now.

Marriage…oh…marriage! Rose's lungs seemed to stop working. Disbelief filled her blood, making her feel the need to hyperventilate. Alas, she recalled something her mother said that stopped such a stupid display. One time, she recalled it faintly, her mother said something.

It was when she was first told who her husband would be.

When she was small, she used to have panic attacks. Easily nervous from crowds, she would start to hyperventilate and eventually pass out. It would always cause a scene which is exactly what her mother and father did not want.

When she was older and found out about her arranged marriage, her mother said to her firmly that she had to grow confidence; if not, if she had a panic attack before her soon to be husband or soon to be in-laws, she would be alone for the rest of her life. It was harsh to hear, but it was her mother's love that made her say it.

Unlike many girls her age, she did not fight the arranged marriage. She did not throw a fit or threaten to starve herself or kill herself. She did not threaten or planned to run off with some nobody or even by herself. Unlike all the other 'rich', in a sense, girls she didn't…fight it. In fact, she _welcomed_ it.

Phoebus was handsome, even at a young age. His hair was a brilliant shade of yellow, like hay but…brighter. His eyes were beautiful too…and he had high hopes of becoming Captain of the army. She should have been on her knees thanking the parents who put the arrangement together.

She knew she was ugly.

Land and money made her beautiful. If it allowed her to marry and have a family of her own, she didn't care. Every girl had a desire, whether it was secret or public, to have a child, be a mother. Every girl fantasized about their wedding. They want to marry and be happy, living like the ends of those fairy tale books.

That's what Rose was thinking about now.

The chance to marry was probably the last chance. The proposal from Frollo, no matter how oddly it was asked or worded or timed, was probably the last one she'd ever hear. It was pathetic to think that but it was the truth.

Judge Claude Frollo wasn't the most handsome in town. He wasn't the youngest or the strongest but he had many peoples fear and respect. That was what really mattered, fear and respect. It mattered not if you were liked or hated; it just mattered if you had power…money…respect…fear.

He was offering her protection. No doubt the vermin king would come after her. After she ran off like that, he was bound to appear sooner or later. So unable to think of any bad side to this, she licked her lips.

"…Yes." She whispered. "Yes, I will marry you Claude!" She shuddered to use his first name for the first time. Such a strong word, a powerful word. No longer would she call him 'boss'!

Unable to contain her joy, she threw herself into his arms. Hugging him tightly, she giggled softly. Frollo tensed briefly, obviously not expecting the hug. He apparently didn't want the physical contact as well for he pulled away.

Clearing his throat, the man smiled weakly at her. "That's…that's wonderful." The judge stood, watching Rose stand up slowly. Her cheeks were flushed a dark red, showing just how embarrassed she was. Had she honestly thought that she could be so…casual with him? They were not married yet which meant, in Frollo's mind, they could still 'sin' against God; that was the best excuse he could think of for stopping any touches.

The girl was okay once one got to know her, Frollo thought. But she still was no Esmeralda, nor would she never be. Once he found out what he wanted to find out, she would be just another object he owned. Then again, perhaps he could use her in bed while imagining she was the gypsy that haunted his dreams…

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Next chapter: What happens when she tells him where the Court of Miracles is at? Will Clopin run off beforehand? What will Frollo do? Review please!


	28. Chapter 28

**Thanks to Opaque Opal & Morphic-m3000 for reviewing!**

**…And I fail to notice why, Morphic, you put the 'PS I have pen-name issues' so…care to explain?**

**In case you all haven't noticed, I'm trying my best to wrap this story up as fast as I can! So yay!**

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They dined.

It was indeed well past seven, the usual supper hour for Claude Frollo, but Rose was hungry. She insisted they ate for she hadn't had such a polite and sophisticated dinner in days. All she had was scraps that the gypsies had stolen.

"Tell me about the Court of Miracles." Frollo slyly ordered to make it sound like a suggestion. "I encourage you to talk about such a foul experience; you can only heal once you've talked about it openly."

He kept her sitting in front of the fire with her back to it. The lack of light, or rather what little light shone on her, made her seem…less ugly, more appealing. Not by a lot, but enough to where he could play the role of a loving fiancée.

Rose was in the middle of eating warm roast with mashed potatoes. It was quite comical to see the maids and the servants gape when they brought her food. To be seated at such a table in such a chair, why it was mad! They certainly never expected Rose to be there!

"It was…horrible." She said calmly, hoping not to sound…deranged. The last thing she wanted to do was scare the last chance to marry off. Inhaling slowly so she could be in control, she continued. "You see, once I was in the grave I started to walk around. These skeleton men caught me…men in silly costumes.

"There were so many colorful tents! It felt like I was at one of those circuses, the one that came here last…well, I suppose you wouldn't know since it's sinful and you don't go. I think every tent held a family or two. There were so many children playing though!" Rose smiled a little at the innocence soon to be plagued into sin.

"Remember Rose; they're just a miniature version of vermin, a blank slate to be molded into their parents." Frollo reminded her, making her nod.

"Of course. Well, there was one tent that was made of two different colors, I believe. They tossed me into there and…it looked…normal. Well anyway, a man came in. He had black hair, a black beard…sort of like a goatee of sorts. He wore a mask at first and he had a puppet of himself with him because I remember thinking how conceited he must be! He was tall and gangly but…very soft on the eyes." The last part was whispered, the owner of such words lost in memory. She recalled how funny it had been when she tackled the man down, a guard coming in and calling Clopin 'King'…she flew off him as though burnt.

The warm fluttering sensation she had in her heart as she described what the King of Gypsies looked like was soon replaced with terror; she liked him and it scared her. "He also had a huge nose!" She proclaimed loudly, trying to shoo away any affection. "Why, it was three times as long as yours!" She smiled, giggling at the reminder.

Although she seemed amused by her own description, Frollo remained as serious as death. "Yes, yes, go on. What happened next?"

"We spoke. I don't recall word for word." Actually, she did but she didn't want to tell him. She wanted some sort of secret in her heart, something kept locked up for only herself to see and hear. "I insulted him a lot though."

This seemed to please him.

She continued, "The next few days, I bathed there. Es…" She paused. She knew very well that Frollo had his eye on the gypsy girl. She suspected he liked her but would never admit it for…well, that would make him look like a fool and lose all respect from everyone. It was a mere suspicion, one overrun with his hatred for gypsies.

Still, she felt…jealous. Esmeralda was so beautiful; she was so ugly…Clopin even had said 'Metaphor, meet Irony.' He meant that Esmeralda's beauty was so stunning that any metaphor would work…and she was the irony. Rose was to be a beautiful flower only to be placed upon an ugly girl.

So she skipped mentioning Esmeralda. "It was a nice place to bathe but not as great as this place."

"Then he took you out and you ran, yes, yes." Frollo leaned forward over his half finished dinner, obviously impatient. "Now where is it?!"

Just to get back at his snap, she finished the rest of her meal first. After taking a long drink of her wine, she stood up and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. "I'll show you. Come along."

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The large black horse frightened Rose.

However, thankfully, they arrived at the graveyard soon.

The night was cold and still. No wind dare blow a gentle breeze across Judge Frollo's ribboned hat. No animal or insect dare cross the path of his horse which held both Frollo and Rose. No one dare step outside or even peek out their windows to see who was passing. Even if they did, they would see black for that was all the color they wore.

They slowly dismounted the horse; Frollo didn't bother to help his fiancée off. She scowled but said nothing, hoping it would get better after they wed. She retraced her steps from the night she was led in and out. Every leaf she stepped on crunched and made her wince as though it set off a series of alarms.

"Here." She reached the soldiers grave.

Frollo all but threw her back so he could shove it back. "The soldiers will be here soon…" He grunted as he shoved the top off.

The frightened neigh of another horse made Rose look over. "I'm going to…to check on the horse." She frowned, both insulted and injured at how he treated her. Without hearing any other answer except a grunt, for that top was heavy, she headed over to the animal.

When she saw the spooked black horse, she frowned. "Shh…what's wrong? Calm down…don't kick me, I'm not trying t-…"

Suddenly a gloved hand went over her mouth, silencing her scream. "You ran and broke your promise." A familiar growl of a voice whispered in her ear.

She struggled briefly, and then paused. "…Clopin." She turned to see him, stunned. "I didn't break anything. I never knew my mother's maiden name."

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Next chapter: Now that Clopin & Rose have run off, we see Clopin's thoughts…as they hide from Frollo's man hunt. Review please!


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks to Morphic-m3000 for reviewing!**

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"What does that matter?" Clopin grunted as he mounted his own horse, making sure Rose didn't try to run off without him. What he did not know was that she didn't want to leave; she wanted to stay with him. "You still promised!"

"I promised on something I didn't know; so that makes it a false promise, an unbinding one." Rose crossed her arms, realizing she wore a fine gown from Frollo's. It was made of beautiful cotton that felt as smooth as a baby's skin.

"You sound like one of those stupid lawyers." He mused under his breath while turning his head east and west. What way to go? His best bet was to get out of the city for they would search it first. He headed west, towards the country side.

"Why are you leaving your people?!" Rose exclaimed, turning to face him slightly. "What about those gypsy kids? And Esmeralda?"

The King of Gypsies looked down at her, about to snap, when he paused. Her dull brown eyes sparkled almost mischievously, her eyelashes thick and inviting from the angle. Although the wind was entangling her hair within itself, it flowed in such a way that made her look…mysterious. Her lips were full from this angle, her body, which was held in his arms so she wouldn't fall, shapely thanks to the dress.

As shocking as it sounded…she looked beautiful in the moonlight!

"I'm no coward. As soon as you ran, I made everyone in the catacombs leave to a safe place. We're going to a different safe place so we don't endanger them." He answered while dodging a branch. That was one thing he hated about the country; tree limbs.

"But Frollo will find the passage t-…"

"And whose fault is that?" Clopin gave her a cynical look.

"…Mine. Still; he'll see the empty place and send a man hunt for the gypsies which you can't hide easily, not all of the-…"

"We placed a bottom to the coffin and added a body. He thinks your lying instead of thinking the Court of Miracles is there." Clopin interrupted her again, making her glare.

Dare she mention she was to be married? No…something told her to be silent. He looked stressed as it was. If she did mention it actually, he might just laugh himself off his horse no matter how fast they were going.

"Where are we going?" She asked instead, looking up at him briefly. Why did he have that…look on his face? It was the one where she saw Phoebus or Frollo giving Esmeralda.

"Somewhere safe." He stated as though she were an idiot asking what two plus two was. "Somewhere in the country. Until we reach the place, be silent; I need to think."

True to his word, he really did need to think.

He had to think about Esmeralda and the rest of his subjects. He hoped they were all okay. In the moment of panic, he told them to head off to the old miller's mill, the one abandoned and unable to use anymore. Under it, he said, was an underground area just as big as the Court of Miracles. If this was true, he honestly did not know; it was just what he heard over the years.

Were they safe? He prayed they were. He didn't want them roaming around the city, getting captured. No doubt by this time Frollo had noticed Rose was gone. It was probably right to guess that he had already sent out his men to look for them…and the gypsies.

Surely they were doing alright. They all could take care of themselves; they did before they reached the Court of Miracles. They could do it again. Everyone, especially under Esmeralda's charm and guide, would be safe.

Speaking of women…his eyes glanced down to see Rose. She leaned back, against him, obviously tired. Her eyes closed, feeling the wind whip across her face. Clopin had to grip the reins tighter so he wouldn't take off his glove and let his fingertips touch her curiously pale appearing face.

What was with him?

Just a day or two ago, he couldn't stand this girl! He wanted her to shut up every time she parted her lips. He wanted to slap her upside the head when she glared at him hatefully or dirty. Yet he wanted to make her see that gypsies and people like herself were not that different.

Although he had no idea why, he just…felt the need to. Perhaps he wanted to shatter her vision of Judge Frollo by revealing he was the one who killed her mother, not he or his subjects. Although she was starting to believe the truth, he had felt the urge to shove her into actually fully believing.

That was why he took her outside onto above ground. He wanted to make her see the truth…some thing that did! He scowled without meaning to.

As they dismounted the horse coming to a stop at last, he paused. Looking at Rose, he realized something shocking. He realized something he didn't really want to realize…not now at least.

He loved her.

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Next chapter: Frollo finds them... Review please!


	30. Chapter 30

**Thanks to Opaque Opal, morphic-m30, Fire Kunai, and Lorescien for reviewing!**

**It's a short chapter only because I'm busy as hell.**

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The country home they entered looked deserted. It was run down, moldy, smelly, and Rose could have sworn she saw cats and dogs scattered about like it was a hotel. It had a musty smell to it as though it had been built over a hundred years ago. Then again, by the looks of the wood, it might have been.

"This is our hide out?" She said skeptically, giving him a dull glare. Though she never really lived like royalty, she still didn't want to be in a…a…dump! "It's horrible!" She proclaimed, looking over at the man as he closed the door. A large wooden stick seemed to be the lock, pulled down so the door wouldn't open. Was that their best security?

"Yes, it is, Princess." He brought up her nickname. Truth be told, she hadn't been called such in a while so she nearly forgot about. It felt like a life time had passed instead of just a day or two. From when she hit Clopin's large nose to now…it felt like that was ages ago. Where did time go?

"I told you not to call me that!" She snapped, her hands turning into fists though they posed no threat. It felt like nothing had happened. It felt like they were back in the tent; she didn't know the suspected truth of her mother, she didn't run out when they were above ground, she didn't get proposed to by Frollo. For some reason, it was a…a nice feeling.

"You keep talking about how horrible this place is and I'll start calling you 'Princess Snotty'." Clopin said calmly as he walked over to the stack of hay. Without caring if there were animals or bugs on it, without inspecting if there were messes left by animals on it, he plopped down. Rose shuddered in disgust. "It's not home but it's safe." He spoke his philosophy firmly.

"…I guess you are right." She admitted reluctantly. Not wanting to lay on the hay that could be defiled, she sat against a wall. Lucky for her, the spot she sat on was clean, from what she saw through the little bit of light. Rose blinked twice; when had the candles been lit?

"Are you feeling well?" Clopin suddenly asked.

"Of course, why?" She looked up, confusion in her eyes.

"…Just asking." He quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to sound like he really cared about her. The last thing he needed was her to realize he loved her. How did she feel, after all? This question, very abrupt in its bringing, suddenly possessed him. He wanted to know…he needed to know.

The silence was tense, awkward actually.

Finally Rose spoke up. "I was the first one to walk in here, right? You came in after me and locked the door…right?"

"Of course." Clopin smirked a bit, finding it both cute and amusing that she failed to recall what happened minutes ago. "…Wait, why do you ask?" The twinkle of humor in his eye died down instantly.

"I did not light the candles." Her body tensed instantly with fear and hesitation. "You did not either…so…"

When they both looked up at the candle resting on a holder above them, a shadow moved. It stepped out of the darkness and into the dim light. It took form of Judge Claude Frollo.

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Next chapter: Aftermath. Review please!


	31. Chapter 31

**Thanks to Morphic-m3000 and Opaque Opal for reviewing!**

**I wish I could say this was the last chapter…but there's the Epilogue left. Ugh…I don't mind writing, of course, but I'm so busy with social issues and my own story.**

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"Judge Frollo!" Clopin shouted in both surprise and outrage.

Rose gasped, "Claude!" After all, in her mind they were still married; she was safe to use his first name. Whether the King of Gypsies noticed this or not, she didn't know.

"I knew you both would come here." He declared with a sickening smile. "Captain Phoebus had discovered this 'safe house' last year when he was searching for a missing child. Luckily the man told me about several other safe houses. Don't worry, King of Vermin, your people will be captured in a matter of hours." The twinkle of his eyes shined brightly with hatred despite only one candle being lit, the light being dim.

"Of course the pretty boy would blab such a thing." Clopin growled lowly as he took a step closer. Unable and unwilling, to be blunt, to believe that his people were captured, he exclaimed, "You lie about the rest!" It was heartbreaking and shameful that he might be a useless King while his people were, by his word, sent to the arms of the soldiers accidentally. He couldn't do a thing about it either.

How horrible! Not only would his poor Esmeralda be captured, she would be at the hands and mercy of this old bastard! The children that he entertained would be killed or put in orphanages, forced to watch the hangings or shootings of their parents. The parents would suffer being separated from their offspring and each other before death or, if they were really in bad luck, live in prison.

And Clopin couldn't do a damn thing.

He led his people into that fate.

"You dare call me a liar?" Claude's eyes narrowed while a snarl worked its way up onto his lips. "_You_ dare call _me_ a liar?!" His hand slipped into the black folds of his robe, making Rose blink twice; it was like his pale hand disappeared for a moment! When he pulled it out though, she felt light headed and suddenly very faint, though she fought for consciousness.

The candle light reflected off a long thick sword that rested snuggly in his hand.

It took Clopin a split second to register what happened. Without a moment's hesitation, he ripped the thin sword out of his own holder, ready to defend himself and Rose. "I do." Defying him, he grinned a toothy grin and prepared to fight.

Suddenly Claude rushed at him, their swords making an unholy clanging sound. Rose winced and covered her ears, hating the sound of such a thing. Pressing her back against the wall, she tried to muffle the sound as well as ensure her own safety. The horrifying screech of metal scraping against metal sent chills down her spine and goosebumps on her arms.

Clopin blocked.

Claude jumped.

Clopin stabbed.

Claude dodged.

Thanks to his heavy robes, Claude put out the candle when he spun around. The wind from the robes traveled fast and hard. Rose screamed when darkness consumed them and she couldn't see.

Without warning, there was a grunt and a thud. The window nearby was thrown open. Rose dare not open her eyes at first. Silence took over. Reluctantly though, she slowly peaked to see who was dead.  
It was…

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Next chapter: MWHAHAHA Cliffhanger!


	32. Chapter 32

**Thanks to morphic-m3000 and Opaque Opal for reviewing!**

**YES THE LAST CHAPTER YES! I'm so happy! Finally!**

**And yes, Opaque, I know you mean it affectionately :P You could never hate me as I could never hate you…bitch. XD JUST JOKING! Lol! I was just thinking that if we were ever to meet in real life, we'd probably have a shouting fight over who's hotter, Frollo or Clopin…probably get in huge trouble xD They'd call the cops on us for disturbing the peace; next thing you know, Phoebus is arresting us…wait, WTF?! :P**

**And thanks for the fact that they didn't have guns; sooner or later Ill go back and fix it x.x Ugh.**

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Clopin lay on the ground, unconscious. There was a slash to his cheek which bled slowly but freely; aside from that, he looked alright. His breathing sounded normal for someone who just got into a sword fight in the dark, fast from action and fear of not knowing where he was or who he hit.

The window was open, allowing the cold air to rush in. The light from the full blown moon gave illumination to the small blood puddle that wrapped around Clopin's head and face. Rose came to one conclusion; Claude must have cut him, knocked him out, and escaped through the window.

Without a moment to spare, she ran towards the gypsy and carefully rolled him over, placing his head on her lap. Ignoring the fact that she sat on the blood puddle, she gently ran her hand around his head, her fingers sliding through his silky-oily hair to ensure there were no bumps or cuts.

A soft groan left his lips, those lips that Rose wanted to kiss. Resisting doing so, she looked around and frowned. Of course; this was an abandoned hide out that had no medical supplies. What was she thinking? Adjusting him so she could rip the edge of her expensive dress off, she dabbed the cut. She needed to clean it before an infection came.

"Clopin." She whispered. "Clopin, get up. Come on, please. Wake up." She knew damn well that she couldn't pick him up.

"Birds and candy…" he murmured, his head moving back and forth slightly. Rose paused in her attempts to wake him up; what in the world was he dreaming of? "Candy and flowers…sweet smelling flowers. Beautiful flower…"

She blinked. Was it possible that he was thinking, dreaming, of her? Rose shook her head, not wanting to be silly enough to even think of that. "Clopin!" She shook him a little bit more though she knew not to shake him too hard. What if she hurt him more? Killed him?

This made her stop. She froze. The very idea that he could die made her heart get caught in a vice. Tears swelled up in her eyes briefly, the idea making her tremble. For him to die right now or even later, for him to die before she confessed her feelings…oh how horrible! Covering her face briefly, she wiped away the tears and whispered his name.

Slowly he opened his eyes.

"Rose…what?" He softly spoke with confusion in his eyes. "Where are we?"

Swallowing back her tears, she smiled at him. "You don't remember? Frollo and you fought in this stinky cottage…shed…whatever, and he ran. How do you feel?"

"I just got hit in the head; what do you think?" There was a taunting smile on his face. "I feel good…now that an angel is watching over me." In his tone held a hint of drunkenness though there was no way he could have touched a drop of liquor that night.

"An angel? Clopin; the bump to your head is far worse than I feared." She frowned, no joking in her tone. Both of them knew she was hideous; after all, he didn't call her 'princess' out of kindness.

"I'm fine…if anything I've seen things clearer now." He whispered his affection, grabbing her hand with his gloved one. Her cheeks flushed immediately and warmed her whole face.

"…You speak nonsense." She looked away. She knew very well she was no longer really engaged to Frollo and strangely…she didn't mind. If anything, she was…happy! "Hush and let me clean the cut; I saw a well outside."

* * *

A week had passed.

It turned out that Esmeralda somehow persuaded the captain not to arrest her or any of the gypsies. In fact, she persuaded him so much that they were getting married! Rose was stunned just like Clopin.

Both of them looked away when they heard the news, congratulating them weakly. Though a thought crossed both their minds, they refused to ponder it; if an esteemed leader of soldiers and the beautiful gypsy could marry, why couldn't they? So for the rest of the evening, they avoided one another.

Yet when Esmeralda's wedding came, Rose watched with a grin to see Clopin reluctantly give her away. She wished her father would sober up one day and give her away…if she were to ever marry. Had her mother lived, she would be in Esmeralda's place right now, of that she was sure.

Her mother…she knew Frollo had to kill her. After Clopin had protected her and helped her so much, it just had to be true. Yet she felt her presence all around her, pushing her gently towards the man she herself had helped when she was alive. Was this her way of guiding her to a better life? Oh the irony; a better life with a…a…gypsy.

As Rose walked with Clopin through the city though, she looked shy. "You…Did you mean what you said?"

"At the wedding?" He blinked, looking over at her sudden question. Their eyes met, they looked away.

"No at the hide out that day. When you got up from the injury…" She let her sentence trail, obviously hesitant of the whole thing.

Clopin looked at her, silent for the longest moment. If he said no, she wouldn't be surprised…though she would be hurt. One never got used to being ugly, being called names and tormented. If they did, something surely was wrong.

"…Yes."

"Does that…mean we could have a future?" She asked, looking at him with hope dim in her eyes. They paused as they went past a stand selling poetry.

Both of them were caught up in the sample the man was reading to people of all ages. It was a romantic poem, one of great common knowledge. Clopin looked at Rose with a smile.

"I'm like Cyrano with my big nose…"

"And I?" She blinked, knowing he wanted to add more.

Taking a step closer, noticing her skin flush instantly, he whispered, "You are like a rose from _Romeo and Juliet_…a rose by any other beauty is just as beautiful."

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I hope you enjoyed the story!

**Just as a side note: I'm in love with Frollo so I'd probably never kill him :P**

**I didn't know if Shakespeare had his plays published at this time but it worked in here so I don't care if I'm mistaken lol. Only way I could figure out how to end the story.**

**Plus I thought it would be WAY to cliché like if Rose and Clopin got together officially…I'll let your imagination take over.**


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